Achieving GDPR Compliance shouldn’t feel like a struggle. Here is a basic checklist you can use to make sure you are GDPR compliant.
If your organization is determining the purpose of the storage or processing of personal information, it is considered a controller. If your organization stores or processes personal data on behalf of another organization, it is considered a processor. It is possible for your organization to have both roles.
This list is not legal advice, it merely tries to help you overcome the confusion.
YOUR DATA
Your company has a list of all types of personal information it holds, the source of that information, who you share it with, what you do with it and how long you will keep it.
Data Processor | Data Controller
This is a list of the actual types (columns) of information being held (eg Name, social security nr, address,..). For each type, a source should be documented, the parties this information is shared with, the purpose of the information and the duration for which the company will keep this information.
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Your company has a list of places where it keeps personal information and the ways data flows between them.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- This could be a list of databases (eg Mysql), but it could also include offline datastores (paper).Read more:
Your company has a publicly accessible privacy policy that outlines all processes related to personal data.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- You should include information about all processes related to the handling of personal information. This document should include (or have links to) the types of personal information the company holds, and where it holds them.Read more:
Your privacy policy should include a lawful basis to explain why the company needs to process personal information
Data Controller
It should contain a reason for data processing, eg the fulfillment of a contract.
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ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT
Your company has appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Data Processor | Data Controller
- This person should have knowledge of GDPR guidelines as well as knowledge about the internal processes that involve personal information.
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Create awareness among decision makers about GDPR guidelines.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- Make sure key people and decision makers have up-to-date knowledge about the data protection legislation.
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Make sure your technical security is up to date.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- For SaaS software companies, use the SaaS CTO security checklist as a starting point below.Read more:
You report data breaches involving personal data to the local authority and to the people (data subjects) involved.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- Personal data breaches should be reported within 72 hours to the local authority. You should report what data has been lost, what the consequences are and what countermeasures you have taken. Unless the data leaked was encrypted, you should also report the breach to the person (data subject) whose data you lost.Read more:
There is a contract in place with any data processors that you share data with.
Data Controller
- The contract should contain explicit instructions for the storage or processing of data by the processor. For example, this could include a contract with your hosting provider.Read more:
NEW RIGHTS
Your customers can easily request access to their personal information.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you should make it available.
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Your customers can easily update their own personal information to keep it accurate.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you should make sure you do.
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You automatically delete data that your business no longer has any use for.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- You should automate deletion of data you no longer need. For example, you should automatically delete data for customers whose contracts have not been renewed.
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Your customers can easily request that you stop processing their data.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you should make sure to do that.
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Your customers can easily request deletion of their personal data.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you should make sure to do that.
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Your customers can easily request that their data be delivered to themselves or a 3rd party.
Data Processor | Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you should make sure to do that.
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Your customers can easily object to profiling or automated decision making that could impact them.
Data Controller
- This is only applicable if your company does profiling or any other automated decision making.
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CONSENT
Ask consent when you start processing a person's information.
Data Controller
- If your website collects personal information in some way, you should have an easily visble link to your privacy policy and confirm that the user accepts your terms and conditions.Read more:
Your privacy policy should be written in clear and understandable terms.
Data Controller
- It should be written in clear and simple terms and not conceal it’s intent in any way. Failing to do so could void the agreement entirely. When providing services to children, the privacy policy should be easy enough for them to understand.s and conditions.Read more:
It should be as easy for your customers to withdraw consent as it was to give it in the first place.
Data Controller
- If you do not already have a process defined for this, you will want to have this available.
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If you process children's personal data, verify their age and ask consent from their legal guardian.
Data Controller
- For children younger than 16, you need to make sure a legal guardian has given consent for data processing. If consent is given via your website, you should try to make sure approval was actually given by the legal guardian (and not by the child).
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When you update your privacy policy, you inform existing customers.
Data Controller
- For example, by emailing upcoming changes of your privacy policy. Your communication should explain in a simple way what has changed.
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FOLLOW-UP
You regularly review policies for changes, effectiveness, changes in handling of data and changes to the state of affairs of other countries your data flows to.
Data Controller
- You should follow up on best practices and changes to the policies in your local environment.
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SPECIAL CASES
You should only transfer data outside of the EU to countries that offer an appropriate level of protection
Data Controller
- You should also disclose these cross-border data flows in your privacy policy.
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Your business understands when you must conduct a DPIA for high-risk processing of sensitive data.
Data Controller
- This only applies to businesses carrying out large-scale data processing, profiling and other activities with high risk to the rights and freedoms of people. A special assessment should be carried out in these cases.
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Disclaimer
The information above is not the same as legal advice, where an attorney applies the law to your specific circumstances, so we insist that you consult an attorney if you’d like advice on your interpretation of this information or its accuracy. In a nutshell, you may not rely on this as legal advice, nor as a recommendation of any particular legal understanding.
