11.2.2017 - Initiating Steps On The Path To GDPR Compliance
If you are reading this you have heard of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and are concerned whether it applies to you. Since it applies to all European Union citizens, no matter where they are located in the world, it is very likely that it does. The question of enforceability, especially if you don’t have an EU presence, is a different issue. But most multi-national companies are following the requirements down to their supply chain, so if you are not compliant, you may find business opportunities drying up. The first step to compliance is to understand your data. You need to do an exercise called data mapping. Data mapping for GDPR is not the same as matching up database schemes. It is more like a data inventory and it is a fundamental requirement for your privacy compliance strategy. How can you protect something if you don’t know that you have it? In data mapping, you act as a journalist, analyzing your data flows, and answering the five W’s of reporting; Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Data mapping can benefit your business in other ways too, such as identifying key data sources, eliminating duplicate data stores, and consolidating data to provide for a smarter use. The healthcare industry went through similar efforts fifteen years ago with the advent of HIPAA. ...
