Greetings,
I probably do not have to re-introduce myself again, but in case you still don’t know who I am, please refer to my first post, https://practical-hugle.52-44-126-31.plesk.page/the-tech-world-according-to-lady-wrinkles-the-dignified-dog-cloud-demystified/. I have been a little under the weather lately but no need to worry! I am still here to shed some lights on The Tech World according to moi.
I heard my human talk a lot about the acronym GDPR lately, in slightly worried tones… That was a new one on me! I would personally like to meet whomever came up with the saying: you can’t teach old dogs new tricks??? Well, my constant readers, I may be old, but I am still learning…
So I said to my Human: Pray tell, what is this GDPR you speak of? And she kindly obliged. So worry not my friends, I will now give you the benefit of my newly acquired knowledge…
G.D.P.R.: General Data Protection Regulation. (yes, that is a bit of a mouthful.)
I don’t know why humans relish all these complicated names (maybe it’s to feel important and mysterious, who knows?…) But enough of these trivialities, here is, in short, what I know:
- GDPR is a new set of rules (and I know how much humans love rules) coming into force and full effect on 25th May 2018;
- These rules govern how business should collect, use, and share data from European citizens.
- It asserts that companies based anywhere in the world that would process data related to EU citizens must build data protection into their systems design and infrastructure, or risk severe penalties.
- Failure to do so will mean that businesses could face fines of up to 4% of global turnover for non-compliance, which is enough to jeopardize operations for any business affected.
If I had to translate this in plain terms, I would say this: by next year, if businesses processing information on EU citizens are not protecting their data and network infrastructure under these new sets of rules, not only will they not get a treat, but they will certainly be put in the dog house, outside, in the cold, and will have to pay pretty hefty fines. And here’s the killer: these rules apply whether or not those businesses are based in the EU.
WHAT??? I hear you say… REALLY???… How could an obscure European regulation apply to my business in the United States?
Well, many of you humans do business with Europe, some of you even have offices in the European Union, especially with what you call Cloud Computing (I imagine a lot of fluffiness going on here). If you do, this means that you would be processing data related to EU citizen, and therefore, YOU HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT GDPR COMPLIANCE TOO! Because if you don’t, no treat for you either, and the dog house equally applies. And you’ve only got one year to prepare for it…
I heard my human and her beloved crew at Atruent mentioning the other day that they were already preparing to help those humans scared of the dog house. You would be well advised to contact them and ask for more details as this should definitely be of interest to you… Or don’t, at your own peril…
Now, finally, I don’t want to alarm you too much, but I might or might not be around on 25th May 2018 to witness the whole debacle… But fear not! I will still be helping humans understand the tech world from that fluffy cloud above (maybe that’s what they mean by Cloud Computing), even if I am not physically here. My Human promised to keep the lines of communication alive, just in case.
In the meantime, I am quite exhausted, time for a nap…
Until next time,
Your Humble Servant,
Lady Wrinkles
The Dignified Dog
