GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation, comes into effect on 25 May 2018. But what does this mean? And how will it impact on users of FooPlugins? Here’s a quick look at what you need to know about being GDPR compliant and FooPlugins.
The GDPR (a quick summary)
The General Data Protection Regulation affects EU websites or (and this is important) any website that collects data from an EU citizen. So if you collect any identifiable information from anyone in the EU, then this will affect you.
Identifiable info will include names, addresses and similar details. But the GDPR also considers IP addresses as part of this. If your website, a plugin on your website, or a service that you’re using, collects any of this data, then the GDPR will apply to you.
That seems pretty broad, but to give you a better idea here are some examples. Your website may store personal data when someone writes a comment. eLearning and eCommerce sites will collect this info from customers. If you’re using Google Analytics, then you’re collecting IP addresses from anyone who visits your site. Online chat services, contact forms and email services may also gather this data.
Becoming GDPR compliant isn’t too complicated though. The emphasis is on full disclosure – so you can collect this data, you just need to be upfront about what you’re collecting, how you’re collecting it and how you plan to use it. You need to therefore include a Terms of Service and a Privacy Policy. You also need to ensure users actively opt in to anything like marketing mails; that is, they need to tick opt-in boxes for themselves. And should any EU citizen request the information you have for them, you need to be able to supply this, as well as update or delete it.
If you’re using third party plugins and services, it’s good practice to check that they are GDPR compliant. You should also link to their policies in your Terms of Service.
The good news is that there are already plenty of plugins that can help you become GDPR compliant. Plus most websites, services and plugins are taking this seriously and are making the move towards being GDPR compliant. This includes FooPlugins.
GDPR and FooPlugins
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be working towards making FooPlugins GDPR compliant. But the really great news for users of FooGallery and FooBox, is that our plugins do not collect data from your users. In other words, if you have either (or both) FooGallery or FooBox installed, you don’t need to worry about changing them to be GDPR compliant.
We’ll keep you updated about any changes we’ll be making that will affect you or our plugins. Or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more updates.
*Please note that this is not intended as legal advice. For a more comprehensive understanding of GDPR or legal advice you would need to consult a lawyer.
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