With the compliance deadline set to be put into effect in May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will set a new and higher bar for how companies use and protect EU citizens’ data. And while your journey to GDPR may seem challenging, Pobuca Connect is here to simplify your path to compliance.

At Pobuca, we have been working hard to prepare for the new regulation, and we are committing to GDPR compliance when enforcement begins on May 25, 2018. Moreover, we are getting prepared to help you meet your policy and process goals regarding contact management. 

Here is an overview of what you need to know regarding GDPR and contact management:

What is GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union. Its primary purpose is to provide European citizens with control over their personal data. While this is excellent news for individuals, GDPR presents complex challenges for organizations, who could face considerable consequences if they fail to comply. 

My organization is not based in the EU. Should I care about GDPR?

Yes, most likely. GDPR has severe implications for companies in countries outside the EU. So even if you’re based overseas, but you hold or process the data of any person in the EU, you’re liable.

In my company, we store contact information in our personal phones or spreadsheets. Is that compliant with GDPR? 

No, it’s not. The rights that EU residents newly have under the GDPR - such as the right to access, the right to rectify, the right to erasure, and the right to the restriction of processing, among others - requires an exceedingly well-governed data management environment that handles both the big picture requirements of GDPR as well as the specific rights across all instances of personal data.

Therefore, spreadsheets and personal address books are an inadequate repository for storing contact information in a GDPR compliant organization, as they provide a poor audit trail, access controls, and versioning. Anyone can download, email, copy and modify contact information without a record, which post-GDPR is an accident waiting to happen. 

How can Pobuca Connect help my organization comply with GDPR in terms of contact management?

With GDPR put into effect, it is recommended that you create a secure, flexible repository for storing contact information, which is simple to use and recognizes that different people use contact information in different ways. Ideally, there should also be an audit trail of everything, combined with access controls and permissions to safeguard data integrity.

Pobuca Connect has been designed to satisfy the requirements mentioned above. Therefore, it could serve as your central contact repository for the post GDPR era!