Since the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), 62% of the UK population now feel more comfortable sharing their data. GDPR is a legal framework that sets clear rules for the collection and processing of personal data for people living in the EU. Fortunately, making your blog GDPR compliant doesn’t have to be overly complicated and helps make the internet a safer place for all.
Update your privacy policy
Implementing a transparent privacy policy is a main feature of GDPR. You can simply update your blog’s existing privacy policy to make it GDPR compliant. Be sure to mention the data you collect, what it’s used for, and who you share it with. Clearly state how people can request their data records (aka a “subject access request”) or get their data amended or deleted. It’s also important to check any third party services like Jetpack, Disqus, and rewardStyle for information on their compliance. You’ll then need to include such information in your privacy policy.
Social media archiving
Social media archiving lets you keep a permanent record of any communications with your audience. In particular, some social media comments and certain posts featuring readers or customers do have the potential to be non-GDPR compliant if they include personal data. To be GDPR compliant, you must uphold your visitor’s access rights, including their right to ratification and erasure. Archived data must be easy to retrieve and download. If you’re wondering how to download Facebook data archive, for example, the platform has an in-built archiving function enabling your data to be easily collated, viewed, and downloaded. Depending on the data volume, this can take some time, but usually no longer than 24 hours.
Email consent requirements
Email consent must be asked for separately in order to be GDPR compliant. It should never be included along with your privacy policy or terms and conditions. Under GDPR, individuals must always have a clear choice on whether or not they want to receive marketing messages. For example, if someone wants to download an ebook from your blog, but they need to sign up to your email list in order to do so, this isn’t GDPR compliant. In this case, subscribing to your email list must be optional — readers can freely download your ebook without joining your email list.
By taking steps to make your blog GDPR compliant, you’ll be treating your audience’s data respectfully and won’t need to worry about legal action. With this guide, you can help make your blog and the wider web a safer place for personal data.
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