I'm at my desk in the warm, thankfully.
Data, it's everywhere: mailing lists, buying from online stores, and subscribing to newsletters.
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| Coming soon... |
The Society of Authors were aware these new regulations could effect authors (and writing related organisations) but all the information seemed to be geared to businesses.
A couple of days ago the latest SoA Supporters Newsletter arrived, and it included an update. and a link to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to read the guidance.
The link small organisations section is useful.
You need to look at the information for how it applies to your individual circumstances. If you have any doubts get appropriate legal advice.
Lots of authors have mailing lists, and some may sell their books themselves; writers' groups have membership details, so these data regulations may apply.
The ICO have lots of pdf links within their pages, and you will need to take a little time to find which bits you need to read.
If you look at the Guide to GDPR you'll find links to basic sections. And yes, you'll find useful links within links.
If you're using a mailing list service such as MailChimp, or similar, you aren't going to have the personal data of those who sign up to your mailing list*, but if you're doing your own mailing list and have the details then you need to know what rules apply to you, and how to store data correctly.
So if you also run a small business outside of your writing life, that needs looking into as well to ensure you're complying.
As consumers it's likely we'll all be receiving emails from businesses we might have shopped with online to confirm we still want them to send us information, receive newsletters and such. I know I've received half a dozen in the past couple of months, and likely even more will be getting in touch before the 25th May if their existing permissions need updating...
The ICO will be continuing to expand the information, so more may be added before May.
(* see this MailChimp article as there may be circumstances where you need to take action.)
Image from Pixabay.
10 comments:
I've received a few emails checking I still want to be signed up to lists - now I know why! I use MailChimp for my list, so if I understand correctly I don't have to do much?
Annalisa- yes, a lot of people will be seeing such emails checking because of this.
You don't hold the data of the people who sign up to your mailing list, MailChimp hold it, but there may still be some grey areas according to their knowledge article.
You might want to have a look at MailChimp's guide relating to GDPR by their legal team.
https://kb.mailchimp.com/accounts/management/about-the-general-data-protection-regulation
I'll add their link to the post.
I'm probably in the minority here but honestly, really? This is so tedious.
I've already had several emails etc and we even had someone come in and waste a few hours of our time at work telling us this and that was changing. The top and bottom of it is that if someone wants to find out about you, they will do...
Best thing we did was putting a monitor on the landline phone. Zero spam calls now. Sky robot monitors them and only puts calls through to us we want to receive.
My mum is paranoid about people getting hold of her data - I'm cynical, I say if someone really wants to find you they will...
Thanks for the additional link, Carol :-)
I wondered why I'd had so many emails asking to confirm I wanted to stay on mailing lists. Thank you for this information, Carol. Now I know why! xx
Maria- I agree, if someone wants to find out about you they will. But it should stop consumers receiving newsletters they don't want because just by using a service they opt you in, and when you have to provide information it's only what is absolutely needed, not more than is needed to fulfil the service. Like everything nowadays, extra hassle because of a minority of bad apples.
Teresa- I suspect there will be a mad rush of these permission emails in May, as companies realise they need to do it just to be sure they conform to the law.
Thank you, Carol. I don’t have a mailing list (maybe I should) but I’d definitely use MailChimp if I did.
I'm glad the regulations are being tightened up a bit – the less spam and unwanted promotional stuff the better.
I'm sure this new legislation is a real headache for small businesses and charities and non-profits: in fact, anyone who has ever said 'Can I have your email address so we can keep in touch?' I don't have a writerly database, but I do have one for my other life as a yoga teacher, which I suspect might be affected. Hey-ho: more admin. Thanks for posting the links.
Wendy- you're probably at that stage where you'd find a mailing list helpful. I'm signed up to those from a few writers and I enjoy their quarterly newsletters.
Patsy, yes, it should reduce the unwanted mailings you get signed up to just for using certain companies, and have to wait for their emails to unsubscribe.
Julia- it's sad that the minority with poor data practise result in more work for those who do act responsibly. Hope it doesn't create extra work for the yoga side.x
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