Monday, May 21, 2018

GDPR, the IWSG, and YOU!


There's been a lot of confusing information out there about the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The new regulations are intended to improve data privacy for EU citizens. While it's a pain for those of us with newsletters and such, it's actually a good thing in the long run, and chances are it will impact data protection outside the EU at some point.

In order to be fully compliant with the new regulations, we've modified our sign-up process for the newsletter and updated all verbiage. Anyone who didn't sign up directly via the MailChimp sign-up form will have received an email from us today via MailChimp to confirm their subscription preferences. We're also updating our privacy policy, which you'll be able to find on the sidebar.


Anyone who receives the opt-in email from us and does not update their settings to confirm they still want to receive the newsletter will be removed from the list before the May newsletter goes out. Not only do we want to be GDPR compliant, but we don't want to be sending you a newsletter if you don't want it! So keep an eye on your inboxes today. If you are removed, but didn't want to be, the sign-up form can be found under the newsletter tab.

Speaking of wanting to receive the newsletter, as it's via MailChimp, it's easy to opt-out if you don't wish to continue receiving the newsletter. There is always the option to click on unsubscribe from this list at the bottom of your newsletter, or you can email us directly at theIWSG at gmail dot com.

Now that we've got that out of the way, here are some articles I found helpful in navigating this GDPR puzzle as it concerns newsletters:

Yes, the GDPR Will Affect Your US-Based Business (Forbes)
How to Make Your Website GDPR Complaint (Hallam)
New MailChimp Tools to Help With the GDPR (MailChimp)
And more specifically from MailChimp (this one is only for those with a MailChimp newsletter): Collect Consent With GDPR Forms

GDPR goes into effect May 25, so you'll have to have your newsletters and websites GDPR-ready before that date, if you haven't already done it.

Are you ready for the GDPR to go into effect? Have you updated your newsletter and contacted EU members to re-opt-in?

*Confused Panda Clip Art, OCAL, clker.com
*Checklist Panda Clip Art, OCAL, clker.com

17 comments:

nashvillecats2 said...

This was interesting to read and most thought provoking which I will think about.

Yvonne.

Pat Hatt said...

Sure a lot to it indeed. Good to cover one's bases.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That will help out a lot of people!

Heather M. Gardner said...

Thank you!
HMG

CV Grehan said...

Thanks for the info! I'll share!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I do need to read up on it and be ready for Friday.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks for the info!! :)

Fundy Blue said...

Yikes! I didn't think this affected me. Thanks for the info!

Juneta key said...

Working on it. I keep thinking I got everything cover and then find another aspect and have to redo all again to comply.

Chrys Fey said...

I got the email today, but I was one of the first ones (as the first newsletter admin) to use the form. Hmm...oh well. I updated to continue receiving it. :)

Shannon Lawrence said...

Yvonne, hope it's helpful.

Pat, definitely better safe than sorry!

Alex, I hope so!

Heather, you're welcome!

CV, thanks!

Diane, I have to do my own newsletter and website now.

Jemi, no problem!

Fundy, it's so confusing on what effects who.

Juneta, I feel that completely!

Chrys, all the original admins were imported via the list, so I had everyone re-confirm.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Shannon,

Thanks for the info.... I didn't receive anything for IWSG yet, so hopefully I'm set for receiving the June newsletter.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Thanks for all the help. I think blogger posts the notice to Europe readers automatically, but I'll need this if I ever do a newsletter.

Michelle Wallace said...

Thanks for the info!

Priscilla Bettis said...

I have been reading about GDPR until I've gone cross eyed. I still question whether I need to make any modifications to my non-monetized, non-newsletter, non-advertising blog. Subscribers get notification when I publish a new blog post, but that's it. Hmmm.

Guilie Castillo said...

This is really good info, Shannon! I'd been wondering about GDPR but was too lazy to do my own research—and now you've done it for me :) Even though I'm not based in the US, the info and the links are still super useful for me. Thank you so much!
Guilie @ Life In Dogs

Shannon Lawrence said...

Michael, I checked, and you're good to go.

Natalie, that's good to know about Blogger. They haven't put out anything helpful about all this.

Michelle, no problem!

Priscilla, it might be a good idea to put together a privacy statement.

Guilie, glad to help!