With the European Union’s (EU) adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), European citizens now have more control over their personal information online. However, what does this mean for your Georgia business? If your website and services are accessible to EU citizens, the GDPR applies to you.
Whether you represent a government source, such as a state university whose online classes include European students, or a company that processes electronic data collected in Europe, speak with an Alpharetta GDPR compliance lawyer. A knowledgeable attorney at Sparks Law can ensure you are compliant and answer any questions you may have.
Once a business audit determines that personal data is collected from residents in EU countries, the company should adopt a GDPR compliance checklist. Among the actions a GDPR compliance lawyer would suggest are:
A local attorney experienced with GDPR compliance could guide business owners through the steps to avoid legal issues with EU regulatory agencies.
The EU regulations cast a wide net when it comes to personal information, and Alpharetta businesses should be aware of what online information falls within this net. The EU restrictions consider four elements in defining personal data: distinguishing a natural person, interpreting any information about a natural person, the accuracy of the information, and the rules concerning identifiable individuals.
American corporate law attributes qualities to chartered entities similar to people. These entities have obligations and rights and can make money or incur debts. However, under the GDPR, a natural person is limited to a live person, and collected data does not include businesses’ data.
All information, both objective and subjective, is defined under the GDPR. Objective information includes indisputable facts like people’s names, addresses, ages, gender, and marital status. Subjective information could be impressions or opinions like social media threads, employment evaluations, or consumer polls. Personal data is not just written but can be comprised of recordings, photographs, and video footage.
Information is inaccurate if it is incorrect, such as attributing the wrong age to a person, or misapplied, such as attributing facts correct about one person to someone else with the same name. If the inaccurate information can still identify a person, it is personal data. For example, misspelling someone’s name could still be personal data under GDPR rules.
GDPR rules attach when information can identify specific persons and disregard all others. These identifiers can be as simple as names or addresses, commonly collected on consumer websites.
Many attorneys in the U.S. do not concern themselves with European Union rules, despite the fact that these rules affect American businesses and government entities that collect data from EU citizens. At Sparks Law, our attorneys are knowledgeable in GDPR compliance and can help Alpharetta clients understand these rules.
Your company is always looking for ways to extend its customer base, including through your online presence and unique website. If you do business in Europe, it is important to know the recent privacy laws that protect EU residents who visit your website. Even though your business is in Alpharetta, you must abide by EU laws if you draw customer traffic from there.
If you would like to learn more about how European laws concerning personal data collection may affect your business, call Sparks Law for an initial consultation. An Alpharetta GDPR compliance lawyer could ensure your website operates under the proper rules.
