The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679) goes into effect on 25 May 2018 – is your Australian-based business required to comply with this regulation from the EU? Read this notification from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
“From 25 May 2018 Australian businesses of any size may need to comply with the GDPR if they have an establishment in the European Union (EU), if they offer goods and services in the EU, or if they monitor the behaviours of individuals in the EU.”
That makes the GDPR a pretty sweeping regulation – and many Australian businesses may not realize they need to be prepared. While some of the requirements are similar to the Australian Privacy Act 1988, additional measures have been added. The intention is to improve business transparency and accountability around how data is handled.
Coming on the heels of February’s implementation of the Notification of Data Breach regulations, Australian businesses are spending time and resources to improve their security and consumer data protection protocols. The full benefits of technology – from social media to speedier business process to medical technology – cannot be enjoyed without consumer and business confidence in the privacy of their shared data.
It’s also likely that further regulations are coming, with details of an Australian version of the GDPR expected later this year. Therefore, even if you aren’t required to be compliant now, be sure to pay close attention to how your business data is secured.
Australia is uniquely positioned as a regional and world leader, especially in the areas of law enforcement and defence, making it imperative that we also lead the world in cyber security. The Australian government’s October 2017 loss of control of 50,000 citizen records – caused not by technology but human error – is a cautionary tale for all businesses and government entities. And the price for GDPR non-compliance is high, up to €20 million.
If you aren’t sure if your business is required to comply with the GDPR, Blutone Technologies can work with you to ensure your data is secure. Get your arms around the encryption and security policies you need to protect your customers’ data – and your business. Blutone Technologies makes it easy for you to understand where you are now, and where you need to be, and works with you to implement processes and data structures you need to be compliant. Contact us today to get started!
We’ve had a lot of questions about how the GDPR, going into effect 25 May, compares to Australia’s current regulations. Take a look at this article that directly compares GDPR to the Privacy Act 1988.
