SiteSpect Synopsis: Where Marketers Are Behind in GDPR Compliance

GDPR goes into effect this Friday, and even if you’re a U.S. organization, if you have any traffic from the E.U. you have to be prepared. We’ve discussed the way that GDPR is going to fall on the shoulders of marketers, but as we approach the deadline research shows that most marketers are under-confident or unsure of their compliance status. This week’s synopsis digs into where marketers may be tripping up, and how to ensure that you’re ready.

“Marketers Lack Confidence with GDPR Compliance,” eMarketer

Author Ross Benes reports on an Openprise survey that asked marketers to rank their competence at a variety of marketing related data management skills. GDPR compliance scored the lowest, with marketers on average rating themselves at 3.1 out of 5. Generally, Benes writes, marketers at smaller companies ranked themselves lower than those at larger companies, but the confidence gap was small. Most marketers, it seems, aren’t really sure whether or not their data practices comply with GDPR.

The Takeaway: If you’re unclear about GDPR and whether or not your organization is ready, you’re not alone.

“Countdown to the GDPR: 6 Areas Companies must Tackle to be Ready on Time,” MarTech Advisor

Author Chad Wollen reports that most companies have yet to hire and implement key job functions ahead of the GDPR enforcement date. While May 25 has been on every organization’s radar for quite some time, actual compliance seems to lag. Wollen lays out six actions to help your brand towards readiness: Define your role, navigate consent rules, manage breaches and leaks, learn how to use personal data, and understand anonymized and pseudonymized data. These steps ensure that you understand where your data comes from and what it does, so that you can execute GDPR compliant practices efficiently and accurately.

The Takeaway: Understand the current state of your data and what it does before you implement your GDPR strategy.

“Will Blockchain Run Afoul of GDPR? (Yes and NO),” Computer World

While the ins and outs of blockchain are a topic for a Synopsis or two of its own, the technology does pose interesting and particular questions in regard to GDPR. Author Lucas Mearian breaks down the arguments for and against blockchain compliance issues. On one hand, many see the technology as inherently non-compliant because it does not allow for data deletion. On the other hand, blockchain itself is compliant — as long as users don’t store personal information there, which most people don’t understand, according to Mearian. In the end, “Blockchains built with privacy and GDPR compliance in mind … have a clear advantage.”

The Takeaway: Blockchain technology is neither inherently compliant or noncompliant, it’s all about the application.

A Little Point of View

As of Friday, organizations will be penalized for GDPR violations, and if you’re not sure where you stand, you’re certainly not alone. There are a few things to think through to give your department a better shot. First, even if you work at a U.S. based company, if you ever get web traffic from the EU, the data regulations affect you. Second, the regulations demand that marketers not only manage, but really understand their data and the way they use it more than ever before. What do you do with it? Where does it come from? Why do you need it? These are all questions you need to be able to answer. Make sure you can also answer these questions about the tools you use.

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