What is GDPR? Part 3 - Right to be informed
We're back with another important part of our GDPR series! If you liked the "Right to Data Portability," you'll love the "Right to be Informed." This right is very important, and a general privacy policy isn't enough.
What is the "Right to be Informed"?
The "Right to be Informed" says that everyone has the right to know how any firm collects, uses, stores, and shares their personal information. It's all about being open and making sure people know what happens to their information.
Why should you care?
If you don't follow this rule, you could face big fines. Transparency fosters trust, and it also has legal effects. Customers are more likely to stick with your brand if they trust you with their information.
How to follow the rules well
- Clear and easy to find: Your privacy notice should be clear and easy to discover. Stay away from legalese that is hard to understand. The idea is to be as explicit as possible.
- Example: Instead of saying, "We may use your personal information for a number of reasons," state, "We use your data to send you updates and offers."
- Timing is very important: Tell them when their data is being collected. Give them the information when they join up for your email or buy something.
- What to put in:
- Who you are: Clearly state who is gathering the information.
- What kind of data you're gathering: Tell us what kinds of data you need.
- What you want to do with it: Make it clear what the purpose is.
- How long you will retain it: Please tell us how long you want to keep it.
- Third parties: If data will be shared, say who will get it and why.
- Example: "We ask for your email address so we can send you our monthly newsletter." We won't give your email address to anybody but our email marketing service, and you can unsubscribe at any moment.
- What to put in:
- Layered approach: If there is a lot of information, divide it into smaller, easier-to-handle parts. Start with the basics and give links to additional in-depth knowledge.
- Keep your privacy notifications up to date: Data practices can change, and your notices should highlight those changes. Make sure to keep your privacy rules up to date and let your users know when there are big changes.
Useful advice for staying compliant
- Use templates: Begin with templates that follow the GDPR and make changes to them to meet the demands of your organization.
- Language that is easy to understand: Stay away from legalese. Try to be clear and simple.
- Try it out and make changes: Get a few people who don't work in the legal sector to read your privacy notice. You're on the correct track if they get it.
ToolHive
What role does ToolHive play? ToolHive can develop a Privacy Policy that covers everything you need. Adding the tool to ToolHive is all it takes to stay up to date. The Privacy Policy will incorporate all the new information. It's easier than ever to keep up.
Final Thoughts
The "Right to be Informed" is more than just a legal need; it's also an important part of earning your audience's trust. Making sure your processes are clear will help both your customers and your business.
We'll talk about the Right to Restrict Processing in our future GDPR post, so stay tuned. You won't want to miss this vital part!