New Protection Bill prepares UK for Brexit: What do you need to think about?
Aug 09, 2017
New data protection laws to be rolled out across the UK means citizens will obtain more control over what happens to their personal information. All citizens will have the right to ask for personal data, or information posted when they were children to be deleted. This includes social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook to be asked to delete personal information. So, if you’re worried about those embarrassing photos lingering on social media, you will soon be able to ask for it to be removed.
“The new Data Protection bill will give us one of the most robust, yet, dynamic, set of laws in the world” – Government’s digital minister Matt Hancock.
What does the new law actually include? Here’s a checklist (taken from gov.uk)
- It will make it simpler to withdraw consent for your personal data to be used.
- Allow you to ask for your personal data held by companies to be erased.
- If you are a parent/ guardian, you will need to give companies consent for your child’s data to be used.
- Require ‘explicit’ consent to be necessary for processing sensitive personal data
- Expand the definition of ‘personal data’ to include IP addresses, internet cookies and DNA.
- Updates to strengthen data protection laws will reflect the changing nature and scope of the digital economy.
- Make it easier and free for you to require a business to disclose the personal data it holds on them.
- It will also make it easier for you to move data between service providers.
What does that mean for businesses?
Businesses that do not comply with these new laws could be fined up to £17 million or 4% of global turnover. Businesses should recognise that early, focused and clear communication between themselves and customers that input any personal data into their systems is of the upmost importance. Displaying terms and conditions and privacy policies that outline everything the company are doing with the data customers input is a start.
According to Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, small businesses will be mostly at risk. He predicts they will be left in the dark about what the new bill means for them which is due to not having an in-house IT team like bigger organisations do.
Why has this been introduced now?
May 2018 is when the new bill is to come into play. The UK’s existing data rules need to be updated to become equivalent to the EU’s laws after Brexit. It is to ensure that businesses can freely send back and forth within Europe after the UK leaves.
If you are a business, what’s the next step?
If this article has left you baffled- don’t worry! Here at The Creation Lab, we can help your company adapt to comply with the new Data Protection Law that could cost you and your company. Simply call us on 0800 644 7070 or fill in a quick form on our contact page to get expert advice and an outlined process from our team to help you every step of the way.
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