The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European regulation on the protection of personal data that came into effect in May 2018. This regulation applies to all organizations, regardless of their size or industry, including associations.
As an association, you likely collect and process personal data of your members and anyone you interact with. GDPR requires you to process this data in compliance with the regulation’s rules. This means you must inform individuals how their data will be used, obtain their consent before collecting their data, ensure the security of their data, and provide them with the right to access, modify, and delete their data.
By informing individuals clearly and accurately about the use of their data, you enable them to make an informed decision regarding the disclosure of their personal information. You must also obtain their consent before collecting their data. Consent must be specific, informed, and given freely and explicitly.
Data security is another important aspect of GDPR. You must ensure the security of the data you collect, including using appropriate security measures to protect data against loss, theft, or unauthorized use. You must also allow individuals to access, modify, and delete their personal data. This means you must establish mechanisms that allow individuals to request access to their personal data, modify it, or delete it if they wish.
By complying with the obligations of GDPR, you can ensure the trust of your members and all those who interact with your association. It can also help you avoid significant fines in case of regulation violations. In summary, GDPR is a crucial regulation that all associations must adhere to in order to ensure the protection of the personal data of their members and all individuals they interact with.