GDPR and Bloggers – Handy Tips to Becoming GDPR Compliant

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, I’m sure you’ve spotted the social media conversations surrounding GDPR and the impending regulations that apply to all organisations who handle personal data.

Whilst GDPR initially sounds scary and seems like an overwhelming process to get your head around, it shouldn’t be a massive issue for bloggers and influencers.

The new regulations, which come into play on the 25^th May 2018, have been designed to ensure that UK businesses are handling personal data in the correct way and not allowing such data to be accessed by third parties. GDPR is not necessarily something for bloggers to worry about, but you certainly should be aware of it.

Bloggers and GDRP – What do you need to know

When GDPR comes into force on the 25^th May 2018, UK businesses that handle personal data will be required to be transparent with the storage and use such information. If you’re a blogger or an influencer that works with businesses on campaigns, it’s important to understand how this may affect you. Here is a quick and pain-free overview of what GDPR means and how to be complicit as a blogger.

It’s important to understand how you store and process data. Use our quick pointers below to check you’re on your way to becoming GDPR compliant -

• Moving your blog to HTTPS provides greater security and your website is more likely to be recognised by Google and fellow users as a secure site.
• If you have a comments function on your blog, there’s a misconception that this puts you at risk. Simply update your privacy policy so that you’re transparent with your online audience about what data may be collected and what it may be used for and how it may be shared. This includes name, email addresses and IP addresses.
• Check that your suppliers are GDPR compliant also. If you regularly host giveaways on your blog and use third-party widgets, use a hosting company or Google Analytics to track your stats. It’s worth reading over their GDPR policies just to give you added peace of mind.
• Provide users with the option to remove or delete their data from your site. This may be via the comments section of your site or email sign-up forms such as Mailchimp or Feedburner.

The likelihood of a blogger or influencer being fined is extremely low, however if you are a full-time blogger or make small earnings from your content, it’s handy to know what’s required of your site and data usage.

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