News and Updates
Shield Your Digital Life: A Complete Guide to Securing Your Data Privacy
Adriana Fernandes
May 2, 2023
Everything you need to know about ensuring the privacy and security of your information online — and your customers’.
As we rely more on technology to store our personal information online, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that our data is kept secure and private — and protected from data breaches and cyber-attacks.
From banking and shopping to social media and email, we’re constantly sharing sensitive information on the internet.* But how can you make sure that your data is being protected? Or that you’re properly protecting your customers’ data?*
In this guide to privacy and security of your digital information, we will explore what data privacy is, how you can securely share information with others while protecting your privacy and your customers’— and how regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union are assessing these matters.
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
Understanding Data Privacy
Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Consent is Key
Transparency is Essential
Responsibility Lies with the Business
Non-Compliance Has Consequences
Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
And if you want to know how to protect your customers’ data and make sure that your company follows every data privacy obligation, keep reading for more.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
Understand Your Business Obligations
Understand User Privacy Rights
Develop Processes for Data Privacy
Update Your Policies and Website
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
1. Understanding Data Privacy
What is data privacy?
Data privacy is a branch of data security that governs+ how organizations collect, manage, handle, and process consumer data*. It protects internet users from organizations that silently collect data using cookies, tracking codes, forms, and other methods. It also shields consumers from websites and businesses that collect and sell their data to third-party services.
What are the guidelines for data privacy?
The main elements of data privacy can be summarized into three core objectives: giving users complete control over their data and how businesses use it, procedures for collecting, managing, handling, processing, and sharing data, and ensuring compliance with relevant data privacy laws.
Which country has the right to determine privacy laws for my business?
Data privacy is a crucial aspect of any online business, and it is governed by the privacy laws in your country or the country of your target audience. These laws have several factors in common that businesses must adhere to.
How can my business use personal data from customers?
Data privacy ensures that businesses use the data they collect ethically with consumer consent. It guarantees that private consumer data is not accessed by unauthorized personnel and is only used for the stated purpose of collection.
Moreover, data privacy provides a framework for organizations that collect consumer data on handling, storing, and sharing information with third-party services. It represents everything related to protecting consumer data on the internet from theft, unauthorized access, unintended use, manipulation, and illegal transfer.
Which laws regulate data privacy around the world?
Data privacy laws provide the legal framework to protect consumer privacy and hold businesses accountable for any breach of confidentiality. GDPR, CCPA, and GLB are considered some of the most influential and detailed privacy legislations. GDPR, in particular, has had the most significant impact on businesses around the world. Privacy laws have limited jurisdiction, though, and only apply to businesses that serve citizens in specific regions.
Why should I care about data privacy?
Data privacy is essential because we live in a data economy where organizations like Facebook, Amazon, and Google have become multi-billion dollar entities that are more powerful than many governments worldwide.
Data is their most significant resource and strength, and they gather data from every user touchpoint. Uncontrolled and unlimited data collection by governments and their affiliated agencies also severely threatens civil rights and liberties.
2. Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Who has the right to my personal data?
All data privacy laws recognize that users own their data and prohibit any website, mobile app, or online platform from using it in any way that violates this ownership.
Can I deny sharing my personal data?
One of the fundamental principles of data privacy laws is respecting an individual’s right to privacy.
This means that users have the right to refuse to share their data with your company, disallow device or location access, and not allow you to use their data for commercial purposes.
3. Consent is Key
Should I consent to have my data collected?
Another crucial aspect of data privacy laws is the right to consent.
Businesses cannot collect, track, store, process, or share user data without explicit and voluntary consent.
What is defined as consent under GDPR?
GDPR has taken this concept to a new level, requiring businesses to seek exclusive consent for every kind of data they want to gather from their users.
Consent under GDPR should be for a limited time and with clear boundaries, and businesses should state the purpose of data collection and the duration for which they want to keep the data.
4. Transparency is Essential
Why is my data being stored? With whom will my data be shared? How to access my personal data or remove consent?
Data privacy demands transparency from all businesses collecting user data.
This means that businesses must clearly state the purpose of data collection, declare if the data will be shared with any third-party apps or partners, where it is stored, how it is processed, and how users can access or change it.
Businesses should also be willing to share their data handling and management processes and educate users about their measures for data privacy.
5. Responsibility Lies with the Business
Who is responsible in case of data breaches?
Data privacy laws state that the ultimate responsibility for the protection and privacy of consumer data lies with the business collecting it.
Once a business gathers data with a user’s consent, it should ensure that all necessary measures are in place to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, manipulation, or erasure.
This could mean investing in data encryption, usage rights, technology infrastructure, and staff training.
6. Non-Compliance Has Consequences
What are the penalties for my business in case of personal data breaches?
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences for your business. Fines can reach up to millions of dollars, and reputational damage can be irreparable. For example, the GDPR can fine businesses up to 4% of their annual global revenue or €20 million (whichever is higher) for non-compliance.
How can personal data breaches harm my company?
Data breaches can lead to a loss of trust from customers, which can affect your business’s bottom line.
In addition, customers may choose to take legal action against your business if their data is mishandled. Therefore, it’s vital to take data privacy compliance seriously to avoid these consequences.
7. Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
How much does data privacy cost?
While data privacy compliance may seem like a burden, it can actually benefit your business in several ways. In terms of cost, it’s more of an investment that makes your brand more credible, trustworthy, honest, and consumer-friendly.
Why should my company comply with data privacy regulations?
Firstly, complying with data privacy regulations can help you avoid fines and reputational damage, as mentioned before.
Secondly, it can help you build trust with customers by demonstrating your commitment to protecting their sensitive information. Customers are more likely to do business with companies they trust.
Thirdly, data privacy compliance can also help you improve your business processes. When you’re forced to comply with data privacy regulations, you may need to re-evaluate how you handle sensitive information. This may lead to more efficient and effective business processes.
How can my company benefit from data privacy regulations?
Complying with data privacy regulations can help your company stay ahead of the competition. Privacy-conscious customers are more likely to choose a business that takes their privacy seriously over one that doesn’t — and your business can use that as a selling point.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
As a business owner, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws is not a quick or easy process. It requires a long-term commitment to protecting user data and following the relevant regulations.
However, by following the steps outlined below, you can make progress in protecting your customers' sensitive information and achieving data privacy compliance.
1. Understand Your Business Obligations
What laws affect my business, and what should I do to comply?
The first step to achieving data privacy compliance is to understand your business obligations, the purpose of data privacy, and your role in protecting user data.
This involves identifying the relevant data privacy regulations that apply to your business and what you need to do to comply with them. For example, if you operate in the European Union, you may need to comply with the GDPR.
When in doubt, seek the guidance of a legal expert to ensure compliance.
2. Understand User Privacy Rights
Can I collect or share data without consent?
No, a business cannot collect, process, store, alter, or share data without the user’s consent.
Which laws should I follow for data privacy rights?
To achieve data privacy compliance, it is crucial to understand the rights of your users. These will depend on where they’re based, and on your legal obligations to your local country laws.
What does GDPR say about data privacy?
GDPR gives users the right to access their data, know how it is being processed, and whether it is being shared with other companies.
Users also have the right to change, update, or delete their data at any time.
3. Develop Processes for Data Privacy
How to implement data privacy controls?
Once you understand user rights and the relevant laws, it’s time to take action to ensure data privacy.
Basically, to implement data privacy controls, you’ll need to configure access controls, encryption, and data backups; audit your existing privacy standards; identify areas for improvement; and train your team.
Which measures should my business take for data privacy?
Invest in your IT infrastructure, upgrade your systems to handle user data, develop usage rights, apply data encryption, and educate your staff about the importance of data privacy and the consequences of non-compliance.
This involves educating them on how to handle sensitive information, what measures they should take to protect it, and how to report data breaches.
How to make sure my business is following data privacy regulations?
You should conduct regular security audits to ensure that the data privacy controls in your company are working effectively. It might be worth contacting a third-party company for that.
4. Update Your Policies and Website
How to ask about data collection on my website?
In order to ask about data collection on your website, it’s important to mention every purpose of your data collection under your website’s opt-in forms.
What should a privacy policy statement look like on my website?
Updating your website’s privacy policy statement is crucial for data privacy compliance.
Consult with a legal expert to develop a customized privacy policy statement for your website that lists the ways you collect user data, your purpose for data collection, the ways you will use data, any partners with whom you share data, and the security measures you take to secure data privacy.
Should I ask for cookie tracking on my website?
Yes, you should add specific declarations or user consent statements to your site, such as a cookie tracking and data collection statement for GDPR compliance.
Wrapping up
Achieving data privacy compliance is a time-consuming process, but it is essential for protecting user data and maintaining trust with your customers.
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences, including fines and reputational damage, and can permit leaks of sensitive information to cyber threats.
Nevertheless, data privacy compliance can also benefit your business by building trust with customers, improving business processes, and staying ahead of the competition — which are great advantages in today's world.
By following the steps in this quick guide, you can start making progress toward data privacy compliance — and protect your customers’ sensitive information.
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out:
Everything you need to know about ensuring the privacy and security of your information online — and your customers’.
As we rely more on technology to store our personal information online, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that our data is kept secure and private — and protected from data breaches and cyber-attacks.
From banking and shopping to social media and email, we’re constantly sharing sensitive information on the internet.* But how can you make sure that your data is being protected? Or that you’re properly protecting your customers’ data?*
In this guide to privacy and security of your digital information, we will explore what data privacy is, how you can securely share information with others while protecting your privacy and your customers’— and how regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union are assessing these matters.
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
Understanding Data Privacy
Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Consent is Key
Transparency is Essential
Responsibility Lies with the Business
Non-Compliance Has Consequences
Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
And if you want to know how to protect your customers’ data and make sure that your company follows every data privacy obligation, keep reading for more.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
Understand Your Business Obligations
Understand User Privacy Rights
Develop Processes for Data Privacy
Update Your Policies and Website
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
1. Understanding Data Privacy
What is data privacy?
Data privacy is a branch of data security that governs+ how organizations collect, manage, handle, and process consumer data*. It protects internet users from organizations that silently collect data using cookies, tracking codes, forms, and other methods. It also shields consumers from websites and businesses that collect and sell their data to third-party services.
What are the guidelines for data privacy?
The main elements of data privacy can be summarized into three core objectives: giving users complete control over their data and how businesses use it, procedures for collecting, managing, handling, processing, and sharing data, and ensuring compliance with relevant data privacy laws.
Which country has the right to determine privacy laws for my business?
Data privacy is a crucial aspect of any online business, and it is governed by the privacy laws in your country or the country of your target audience. These laws have several factors in common that businesses must adhere to.
How can my business use personal data from customers?
Data privacy ensures that businesses use the data they collect ethically with consumer consent. It guarantees that private consumer data is not accessed by unauthorized personnel and is only used for the stated purpose of collection.
Moreover, data privacy provides a framework for organizations that collect consumer data on handling, storing, and sharing information with third-party services. It represents everything related to protecting consumer data on the internet from theft, unauthorized access, unintended use, manipulation, and illegal transfer.
Which laws regulate data privacy around the world?
Data privacy laws provide the legal framework to protect consumer privacy and hold businesses accountable for any breach of confidentiality. GDPR, CCPA, and GLB are considered some of the most influential and detailed privacy legislations. GDPR, in particular, has had the most significant impact on businesses around the world. Privacy laws have limited jurisdiction, though, and only apply to businesses that serve citizens in specific regions.
Why should I care about data privacy?
Data privacy is essential because we live in a data economy where organizations like Facebook, Amazon, and Google have become multi-billion dollar entities that are more powerful than many governments worldwide.
Data is their most significant resource and strength, and they gather data from every user touchpoint. Uncontrolled and unlimited data collection by governments and their affiliated agencies also severely threatens civil rights and liberties.
2. Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Who has the right to my personal data?
All data privacy laws recognize that users own their data and prohibit any website, mobile app, or online platform from using it in any way that violates this ownership.
Can I deny sharing my personal data?
One of the fundamental principles of data privacy laws is respecting an individual’s right to privacy.
This means that users have the right to refuse to share their data with your company, disallow device or location access, and not allow you to use their data for commercial purposes.
3. Consent is Key
Should I consent to have my data collected?
Another crucial aspect of data privacy laws is the right to consent.
Businesses cannot collect, track, store, process, or share user data without explicit and voluntary consent.
What is defined as consent under GDPR?
GDPR has taken this concept to a new level, requiring businesses to seek exclusive consent for every kind of data they want to gather from their users.
Consent under GDPR should be for a limited time and with clear boundaries, and businesses should state the purpose of data collection and the duration for which they want to keep the data.
4. Transparency is Essential
Why is my data being stored? With whom will my data be shared? How to access my personal data or remove consent?
Data privacy demands transparency from all businesses collecting user data.
This means that businesses must clearly state the purpose of data collection, declare if the data will be shared with any third-party apps or partners, where it is stored, how it is processed, and how users can access or change it.
Businesses should also be willing to share their data handling and management processes and educate users about their measures for data privacy.
5. Responsibility Lies with the Business
Who is responsible in case of data breaches?
Data privacy laws state that the ultimate responsibility for the protection and privacy of consumer data lies with the business collecting it.
Once a business gathers data with a user’s consent, it should ensure that all necessary measures are in place to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, manipulation, or erasure.
This could mean investing in data encryption, usage rights, technology infrastructure, and staff training.
6. Non-Compliance Has Consequences
What are the penalties for my business in case of personal data breaches?
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences for your business. Fines can reach up to millions of dollars, and reputational damage can be irreparable. For example, the GDPR can fine businesses up to 4% of their annual global revenue or €20 million (whichever is higher) for non-compliance.
How can personal data breaches harm my company?
Data breaches can lead to a loss of trust from customers, which can affect your business’s bottom line.
In addition, customers may choose to take legal action against your business if their data is mishandled. Therefore, it’s vital to take data privacy compliance seriously to avoid these consequences.
7. Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
How much does data privacy cost?
While data privacy compliance may seem like a burden, it can actually benefit your business in several ways. In terms of cost, it’s more of an investment that makes your brand more credible, trustworthy, honest, and consumer-friendly.
Why should my company comply with data privacy regulations?
Firstly, complying with data privacy regulations can help you avoid fines and reputational damage, as mentioned before.
Secondly, it can help you build trust with customers by demonstrating your commitment to protecting their sensitive information. Customers are more likely to do business with companies they trust.
Thirdly, data privacy compliance can also help you improve your business processes. When you’re forced to comply with data privacy regulations, you may need to re-evaluate how you handle sensitive information. This may lead to more efficient and effective business processes.
How can my company benefit from data privacy regulations?
Complying with data privacy regulations can help your company stay ahead of the competition. Privacy-conscious customers are more likely to choose a business that takes their privacy seriously over one that doesn’t — and your business can use that as a selling point.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
As a business owner, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws is not a quick or easy process. It requires a long-term commitment to protecting user data and following the relevant regulations.
However, by following the steps outlined below, you can make progress in protecting your customers' sensitive information and achieving data privacy compliance.
1. Understand Your Business Obligations
What laws affect my business, and what should I do to comply?
The first step to achieving data privacy compliance is to understand your business obligations, the purpose of data privacy, and your role in protecting user data.
This involves identifying the relevant data privacy regulations that apply to your business and what you need to do to comply with them. For example, if you operate in the European Union, you may need to comply with the GDPR.
When in doubt, seek the guidance of a legal expert to ensure compliance.
2. Understand User Privacy Rights
Can I collect or share data without consent?
No, a business cannot collect, process, store, alter, or share data without the user’s consent.
Which laws should I follow for data privacy rights?
To achieve data privacy compliance, it is crucial to understand the rights of your users. These will depend on where they’re based, and on your legal obligations to your local country laws.
What does GDPR say about data privacy?
GDPR gives users the right to access their data, know how it is being processed, and whether it is being shared with other companies.
Users also have the right to change, update, or delete their data at any time.
3. Develop Processes for Data Privacy
How to implement data privacy controls?
Once you understand user rights and the relevant laws, it’s time to take action to ensure data privacy.
Basically, to implement data privacy controls, you’ll need to configure access controls, encryption, and data backups; audit your existing privacy standards; identify areas for improvement; and train your team.
Which measures should my business take for data privacy?
Invest in your IT infrastructure, upgrade your systems to handle user data, develop usage rights, apply data encryption, and educate your staff about the importance of data privacy and the consequences of non-compliance.
This involves educating them on how to handle sensitive information, what measures they should take to protect it, and how to report data breaches.
How to make sure my business is following data privacy regulations?
You should conduct regular security audits to ensure that the data privacy controls in your company are working effectively. It might be worth contacting a third-party company for that.
4. Update Your Policies and Website
How to ask about data collection on my website?
In order to ask about data collection on your website, it’s important to mention every purpose of your data collection under your website’s opt-in forms.
What should a privacy policy statement look like on my website?
Updating your website’s privacy policy statement is crucial for data privacy compliance.
Consult with a legal expert to develop a customized privacy policy statement for your website that lists the ways you collect user data, your purpose for data collection, the ways you will use data, any partners with whom you share data, and the security measures you take to secure data privacy.
Should I ask for cookie tracking on my website?
Yes, you should add specific declarations or user consent statements to your site, such as a cookie tracking and data collection statement for GDPR compliance.
Wrapping up
Achieving data privacy compliance is a time-consuming process, but it is essential for protecting user data and maintaining trust with your customers.
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences, including fines and reputational damage, and can permit leaks of sensitive information to cyber threats.
Nevertheless, data privacy compliance can also benefit your business by building trust with customers, improving business processes, and staying ahead of the competition — which are great advantages in today's world.
By following the steps in this quick guide, you can start making progress toward data privacy compliance — and protect your customers’ sensitive information.
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out:
Everything you need to know about ensuring the privacy and security of your information online — and your customers’.
As we rely more on technology to store our personal information online, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that our data is kept secure and private — and protected from data breaches and cyber-attacks.
From banking and shopping to social media and email, we’re constantly sharing sensitive information on the internet.* But how can you make sure that your data is being protected? Or that you’re properly protecting your customers’ data?*
In this guide to privacy and security of your digital information, we will explore what data privacy is, how you can securely share information with others while protecting your privacy and your customers’— and how regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union are assessing these matters.
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
Understanding Data Privacy
Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Consent is Key
Transparency is Essential
Responsibility Lies with the Business
Non-Compliance Has Consequences
Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
And if you want to know how to protect your customers’ data and make sure that your company follows every data privacy obligation, keep reading for more.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
Understand Your Business Obligations
Understand User Privacy Rights
Develop Processes for Data Privacy
Update Your Policies and Website
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
1. Understanding Data Privacy
What is data privacy?
Data privacy is a branch of data security that governs+ how organizations collect, manage, handle, and process consumer data*. It protects internet users from organizations that silently collect data using cookies, tracking codes, forms, and other methods. It also shields consumers from websites and businesses that collect and sell their data to third-party services.
What are the guidelines for data privacy?
The main elements of data privacy can be summarized into three core objectives: giving users complete control over their data and how businesses use it, procedures for collecting, managing, handling, processing, and sharing data, and ensuring compliance with relevant data privacy laws.
Which country has the right to determine privacy laws for my business?
Data privacy is a crucial aspect of any online business, and it is governed by the privacy laws in your country or the country of your target audience. These laws have several factors in common that businesses must adhere to.
How can my business use personal data from customers?
Data privacy ensures that businesses use the data they collect ethically with consumer consent. It guarantees that private consumer data is not accessed by unauthorized personnel and is only used for the stated purpose of collection.
Moreover, data privacy provides a framework for organizations that collect consumer data on handling, storing, and sharing information with third-party services. It represents everything related to protecting consumer data on the internet from theft, unauthorized access, unintended use, manipulation, and illegal transfer.
Which laws regulate data privacy around the world?
Data privacy laws provide the legal framework to protect consumer privacy and hold businesses accountable for any breach of confidentiality. GDPR, CCPA, and GLB are considered some of the most influential and detailed privacy legislations. GDPR, in particular, has had the most significant impact on businesses around the world. Privacy laws have limited jurisdiction, though, and only apply to businesses that serve citizens in specific regions.
Why should I care about data privacy?
Data privacy is essential because we live in a data economy where organizations like Facebook, Amazon, and Google have become multi-billion dollar entities that are more powerful than many governments worldwide.
Data is their most significant resource and strength, and they gather data from every user touchpoint. Uncontrolled and unlimited data collection by governments and their affiliated agencies also severely threatens civil rights and liberties.
2. Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Who has the right to my personal data?
All data privacy laws recognize that users own their data and prohibit any website, mobile app, or online platform from using it in any way that violates this ownership.
Can I deny sharing my personal data?
One of the fundamental principles of data privacy laws is respecting an individual’s right to privacy.
This means that users have the right to refuse to share their data with your company, disallow device or location access, and not allow you to use their data for commercial purposes.
3. Consent is Key
Should I consent to have my data collected?
Another crucial aspect of data privacy laws is the right to consent.
Businesses cannot collect, track, store, process, or share user data without explicit and voluntary consent.
What is defined as consent under GDPR?
GDPR has taken this concept to a new level, requiring businesses to seek exclusive consent for every kind of data they want to gather from their users.
Consent under GDPR should be for a limited time and with clear boundaries, and businesses should state the purpose of data collection and the duration for which they want to keep the data.
4. Transparency is Essential
Why is my data being stored? With whom will my data be shared? How to access my personal data or remove consent?
Data privacy demands transparency from all businesses collecting user data.
This means that businesses must clearly state the purpose of data collection, declare if the data will be shared with any third-party apps or partners, where it is stored, how it is processed, and how users can access or change it.
Businesses should also be willing to share their data handling and management processes and educate users about their measures for data privacy.
5. Responsibility Lies with the Business
Who is responsible in case of data breaches?
Data privacy laws state that the ultimate responsibility for the protection and privacy of consumer data lies with the business collecting it.
Once a business gathers data with a user’s consent, it should ensure that all necessary measures are in place to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, manipulation, or erasure.
This could mean investing in data encryption, usage rights, technology infrastructure, and staff training.
6. Non-Compliance Has Consequences
What are the penalties for my business in case of personal data breaches?
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences for your business. Fines can reach up to millions of dollars, and reputational damage can be irreparable. For example, the GDPR can fine businesses up to 4% of their annual global revenue or €20 million (whichever is higher) for non-compliance.
How can personal data breaches harm my company?
Data breaches can lead to a loss of trust from customers, which can affect your business’s bottom line.
In addition, customers may choose to take legal action against your business if their data is mishandled. Therefore, it’s vital to take data privacy compliance seriously to avoid these consequences.
7. Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
How much does data privacy cost?
While data privacy compliance may seem like a burden, it can actually benefit your business in several ways. In terms of cost, it’s more of an investment that makes your brand more credible, trustworthy, honest, and consumer-friendly.
Why should my company comply with data privacy regulations?
Firstly, complying with data privacy regulations can help you avoid fines and reputational damage, as mentioned before.
Secondly, it can help you build trust with customers by demonstrating your commitment to protecting their sensitive information. Customers are more likely to do business with companies they trust.
Thirdly, data privacy compliance can also help you improve your business processes. When you’re forced to comply with data privacy regulations, you may need to re-evaluate how you handle sensitive information. This may lead to more efficient and effective business processes.
How can my company benefit from data privacy regulations?
Complying with data privacy regulations can help your company stay ahead of the competition. Privacy-conscious customers are more likely to choose a business that takes their privacy seriously over one that doesn’t — and your business can use that as a selling point.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
As a business owner, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws is not a quick or easy process. It requires a long-term commitment to protecting user data and following the relevant regulations.
However, by following the steps outlined below, you can make progress in protecting your customers' sensitive information and achieving data privacy compliance.
1. Understand Your Business Obligations
What laws affect my business, and what should I do to comply?
The first step to achieving data privacy compliance is to understand your business obligations, the purpose of data privacy, and your role in protecting user data.
This involves identifying the relevant data privacy regulations that apply to your business and what you need to do to comply with them. For example, if you operate in the European Union, you may need to comply with the GDPR.
When in doubt, seek the guidance of a legal expert to ensure compliance.
2. Understand User Privacy Rights
Can I collect or share data without consent?
No, a business cannot collect, process, store, alter, or share data without the user’s consent.
Which laws should I follow for data privacy rights?
To achieve data privacy compliance, it is crucial to understand the rights of your users. These will depend on where they’re based, and on your legal obligations to your local country laws.
What does GDPR say about data privacy?
GDPR gives users the right to access their data, know how it is being processed, and whether it is being shared with other companies.
Users also have the right to change, update, or delete their data at any time.
3. Develop Processes for Data Privacy
How to implement data privacy controls?
Once you understand user rights and the relevant laws, it’s time to take action to ensure data privacy.
Basically, to implement data privacy controls, you’ll need to configure access controls, encryption, and data backups; audit your existing privacy standards; identify areas for improvement; and train your team.
Which measures should my business take for data privacy?
Invest in your IT infrastructure, upgrade your systems to handle user data, develop usage rights, apply data encryption, and educate your staff about the importance of data privacy and the consequences of non-compliance.
This involves educating them on how to handle sensitive information, what measures they should take to protect it, and how to report data breaches.
How to make sure my business is following data privacy regulations?
You should conduct regular security audits to ensure that the data privacy controls in your company are working effectively. It might be worth contacting a third-party company for that.
4. Update Your Policies and Website
How to ask about data collection on my website?
In order to ask about data collection on your website, it’s important to mention every purpose of your data collection under your website’s opt-in forms.
What should a privacy policy statement look like on my website?
Updating your website’s privacy policy statement is crucial for data privacy compliance.
Consult with a legal expert to develop a customized privacy policy statement for your website that lists the ways you collect user data, your purpose for data collection, the ways you will use data, any partners with whom you share data, and the security measures you take to secure data privacy.
Should I ask for cookie tracking on my website?
Yes, you should add specific declarations or user consent statements to your site, such as a cookie tracking and data collection statement for GDPR compliance.
Wrapping up
Achieving data privacy compliance is a time-consuming process, but it is essential for protecting user data and maintaining trust with your customers.
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences, including fines and reputational damage, and can permit leaks of sensitive information to cyber threats.
Nevertheless, data privacy compliance can also benefit your business by building trust with customers, improving business processes, and staying ahead of the competition — which are great advantages in today's world.
By following the steps in this quick guide, you can start making progress toward data privacy compliance — and protect your customers’ sensitive information.
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out:
Everything you need to know about ensuring the privacy and security of your information online — and your customers’.
As we rely more on technology to store our personal information online, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that our data is kept secure and private — and protected from data breaches and cyber-attacks.
From banking and shopping to social media and email, we’re constantly sharing sensitive information on the internet.* But how can you make sure that your data is being protected? Or that you’re properly protecting your customers’ data?*
In this guide to privacy and security of your digital information, we will explore what data privacy is, how you can securely share information with others while protecting your privacy and your customers’— and how regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union are assessing these matters.
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
Understanding Data Privacy
Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Consent is Key
Transparency is Essential
Responsibility Lies with the Business
Non-Compliance Has Consequences
Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
And if you want to know how to protect your customers’ data and make sure that your company follows every data privacy obligation, keep reading for more.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
Understand Your Business Obligations
Understand User Privacy Rights
Develop Processes for Data Privacy
Update Your Policies and Website
What is Data Privacy: A Complete Guide
1. Understanding Data Privacy
What is data privacy?
Data privacy is a branch of data security that governs+ how organizations collect, manage, handle, and process consumer data*. It protects internet users from organizations that silently collect data using cookies, tracking codes, forms, and other methods. It also shields consumers from websites and businesses that collect and sell their data to third-party services.
What are the guidelines for data privacy?
The main elements of data privacy can be summarized into three core objectives: giving users complete control over their data and how businesses use it, procedures for collecting, managing, handling, processing, and sharing data, and ensuring compliance with relevant data privacy laws.
Which country has the right to determine privacy laws for my business?
Data privacy is a crucial aspect of any online business, and it is governed by the privacy laws in your country or the country of your target audience. These laws have several factors in common that businesses must adhere to.
How can my business use personal data from customers?
Data privacy ensures that businesses use the data they collect ethically with consumer consent. It guarantees that private consumer data is not accessed by unauthorized personnel and is only used for the stated purpose of collection.
Moreover, data privacy provides a framework for organizations that collect consumer data on handling, storing, and sharing information with third-party services. It represents everything related to protecting consumer data on the internet from theft, unauthorized access, unintended use, manipulation, and illegal transfer.
Which laws regulate data privacy around the world?
Data privacy laws provide the legal framework to protect consumer privacy and hold businesses accountable for any breach of confidentiality. GDPR, CCPA, and GLB are considered some of the most influential and detailed privacy legislations. GDPR, in particular, has had the most significant impact on businesses around the world. Privacy laws have limited jurisdiction, though, and only apply to businesses that serve citizens in specific regions.
Why should I care about data privacy?
Data privacy is essential because we live in a data economy where organizations like Facebook, Amazon, and Google have become multi-billion dollar entities that are more powerful than many governments worldwide.
Data is their most significant resource and strength, and they gather data from every user touchpoint. Uncontrolled and unlimited data collection by governments and their affiliated agencies also severely threatens civil rights and liberties.
2. Respecting the User’s Right to Privacy
Who has the right to my personal data?
All data privacy laws recognize that users own their data and prohibit any website, mobile app, or online platform from using it in any way that violates this ownership.
Can I deny sharing my personal data?
One of the fundamental principles of data privacy laws is respecting an individual’s right to privacy.
This means that users have the right to refuse to share their data with your company, disallow device or location access, and not allow you to use their data for commercial purposes.
3. Consent is Key
Should I consent to have my data collected?
Another crucial aspect of data privacy laws is the right to consent.
Businesses cannot collect, track, store, process, or share user data without explicit and voluntary consent.
What is defined as consent under GDPR?
GDPR has taken this concept to a new level, requiring businesses to seek exclusive consent for every kind of data they want to gather from their users.
Consent under GDPR should be for a limited time and with clear boundaries, and businesses should state the purpose of data collection and the duration for which they want to keep the data.
4. Transparency is Essential
Why is my data being stored? With whom will my data be shared? How to access my personal data or remove consent?
Data privacy demands transparency from all businesses collecting user data.
This means that businesses must clearly state the purpose of data collection, declare if the data will be shared with any third-party apps or partners, where it is stored, how it is processed, and how users can access or change it.
Businesses should also be willing to share their data handling and management processes and educate users about their measures for data privacy.
5. Responsibility Lies with the Business
Who is responsible in case of data breaches?
Data privacy laws state that the ultimate responsibility for the protection and privacy of consumer data lies with the business collecting it.
Once a business gathers data with a user’s consent, it should ensure that all necessary measures are in place to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, manipulation, or erasure.
This could mean investing in data encryption, usage rights, technology infrastructure, and staff training.
6. Non-Compliance Has Consequences
What are the penalties for my business in case of personal data breaches?
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences for your business. Fines can reach up to millions of dollars, and reputational damage can be irreparable. For example, the GDPR can fine businesses up to 4% of their annual global revenue or €20 million (whichever is higher) for non-compliance.
How can personal data breaches harm my company?
Data breaches can lead to a loss of trust from customers, which can affect your business’s bottom line.
In addition, customers may choose to take legal action against your business if their data is mishandled. Therefore, it’s vital to take data privacy compliance seriously to avoid these consequences.
7. Data Privacy Benefits Your Business
How much does data privacy cost?
While data privacy compliance may seem like a burden, it can actually benefit your business in several ways. In terms of cost, it’s more of an investment that makes your brand more credible, trustworthy, honest, and consumer-friendly.
Why should my company comply with data privacy regulations?
Firstly, complying with data privacy regulations can help you avoid fines and reputational damage, as mentioned before.
Secondly, it can help you build trust with customers by demonstrating your commitment to protecting their sensitive information. Customers are more likely to do business with companies they trust.
Thirdly, data privacy compliance can also help you improve your business processes. When you’re forced to comply with data privacy regulations, you may need to re-evaluate how you handle sensitive information. This may lead to more efficient and effective business processes.
How can my company benefit from data privacy regulations?
Complying with data privacy regulations can help your company stay ahead of the competition. Privacy-conscious customers are more likely to choose a business that takes their privacy seriously over one that doesn’t — and your business can use that as a selling point.
How to Achieve Data Privacy Compliance
As a business owner, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws is not a quick or easy process. It requires a long-term commitment to protecting user data and following the relevant regulations.
However, by following the steps outlined below, you can make progress in protecting your customers' sensitive information and achieving data privacy compliance.
1. Understand Your Business Obligations
What laws affect my business, and what should I do to comply?
The first step to achieving data privacy compliance is to understand your business obligations, the purpose of data privacy, and your role in protecting user data.
This involves identifying the relevant data privacy regulations that apply to your business and what you need to do to comply with them. For example, if you operate in the European Union, you may need to comply with the GDPR.
When in doubt, seek the guidance of a legal expert to ensure compliance.
2. Understand User Privacy Rights
Can I collect or share data without consent?
No, a business cannot collect, process, store, alter, or share data without the user’s consent.
Which laws should I follow for data privacy rights?
To achieve data privacy compliance, it is crucial to understand the rights of your users. These will depend on where they’re based, and on your legal obligations to your local country laws.
What does GDPR say about data privacy?
GDPR gives users the right to access their data, know how it is being processed, and whether it is being shared with other companies.
Users also have the right to change, update, or delete their data at any time.
3. Develop Processes for Data Privacy
How to implement data privacy controls?
Once you understand user rights and the relevant laws, it’s time to take action to ensure data privacy.
Basically, to implement data privacy controls, you’ll need to configure access controls, encryption, and data backups; audit your existing privacy standards; identify areas for improvement; and train your team.
Which measures should my business take for data privacy?
Invest in your IT infrastructure, upgrade your systems to handle user data, develop usage rights, apply data encryption, and educate your staff about the importance of data privacy and the consequences of non-compliance.
This involves educating them on how to handle sensitive information, what measures they should take to protect it, and how to report data breaches.
How to make sure my business is following data privacy regulations?
You should conduct regular security audits to ensure that the data privacy controls in your company are working effectively. It might be worth contacting a third-party company for that.
4. Update Your Policies and Website
How to ask about data collection on my website?
In order to ask about data collection on your website, it’s important to mention every purpose of your data collection under your website’s opt-in forms.
What should a privacy policy statement look like on my website?
Updating your website’s privacy policy statement is crucial for data privacy compliance.
Consult with a legal expert to develop a customized privacy policy statement for your website that lists the ways you collect user data, your purpose for data collection, the ways you will use data, any partners with whom you share data, and the security measures you take to secure data privacy.
Should I ask for cookie tracking on my website?
Yes, you should add specific declarations or user consent statements to your site, such as a cookie tracking and data collection statement for GDPR compliance.
Wrapping up
Achieving data privacy compliance is a time-consuming process, but it is essential for protecting user data and maintaining trust with your customers.
Non-compliance with data privacy regulations can have severe consequences, including fines and reputational damage, and can permit leaks of sensitive information to cyber threats.
Nevertheless, data privacy compliance can also benefit your business by building trust with customers, improving business processes, and staying ahead of the competition — which are great advantages in today's world.
By following the steps in this quick guide, you can start making progress toward data privacy compliance — and protect your customers’ sensitive information.
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out:
