The Best FREE GDPR Resources for Small Businesses

*Disclaimer*

Any information found on this blog post has been researched and sourced online. Becoming GDPR is solely your responsibility and we do not accept any liability for any action you have taken as a result of reading this blog post. We always recommend consulting a legal professional to make sure you are GDPR compliant.

If you regularly read our blog, you’ll know that GDPR - a new European Data Protection Law - is coming in on 25th May.

We’ve seen many clients try to stick their heads in the sand, ignore it, panic, and try to get their heads around it.

The trouble is that at the moment nothing is set in stone so the rules aren’t 100% clear. However, there’s absolutely no reason to panic about it! In reality, the rules that people say are coming in have actually already been a law as part of the Data Protection Act (1998). e.g. Don’t email people unless they’ve opted in, don’t unlawfully collect or store data etc.

What’s changing is that the rules are becoming more strict and more defined. The punishment is also changing which is why you need to get it right.

Luckily, we’ve done some digging and found some brilliant free resources which should help you prepare for the 25th May deadline and set your mind at ease.

1. ICO website

No you don’t need to pay someone lots of money to tell you what to do (unless you don’t have the time) but the ICO website is extremely helpful and clear about what it is you need to do. There’s a self-assessment checklist which will evaluate your situation and make you aware of any pitfalls in your Privacy and Data Protection Policy.

2. ICO’s Direct Marketing Check List

We found this great PDF download on the ICO website which clearly states the rules for direct marketing for both business and public contacts.

You should consider whether you are B2B or B2C and what legitimate interest you have to email a customer.

The rules are less strict for businesses where you hold people’s data within a business and not their personal data.

3. ICO’s Guide to GDPR

This fairly lengthy guide is pretty cohesive and should give you a lot of food for thought surrounding your company’s data protection policy.

4. Guide to PECR

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations sit alongside the DPA and GDPR.

PECR covers specific rules on direct marketing including:

• marketing calls, emails, texts and faxes;

• cookies (and similar technologies);

• keeping communications services secure; and

• customer privacy as regards traffic and location data, itemised billing, line identification, and directory listings.

So there you have it! 4 amazing free resources that should set your mind at ease. 

If you need any guidance on what exact actions to take, it’s best to consult with a professional or visit the ICO website - https://ico.org.uk/

*Disclaimer*

Any information found on this blog post has been researched and sourced online. Becoming GDPR is solely your responsibility and we do not accept any liability for any action you have taken as a result of reading this blog post. We always recommend consulting a legal professional to make sure you are GDPR compliant.