The GDPR: A Data Privacy Wakeup Call for Small Businesses Everywhere
In 2018, the European Union enacted a sweeping new data privacy law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR governs how businesses collect, use, protect, and share the personal data of EU citizens, giving users unprecedented rights over their information. But it’s not only applicable to European companies. If your company has European customers, the regulations also apply to you. While the GDPR is an EU regulation, its impact has been global. The law applies to any company operating in the EU or handling data from EU residents—regardless of where the business is headquartered. U.S. companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have all had to significantly rework their data practices to comply. GDPR’s strict rules around user consent, data rights, and potential penalties raise the stakes for businesses of all sizes that collect or use any personal data tied to EU residents. For small and mid-sized businesses, getting