What is GDPR and why does it matter?
GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation, has significantly reshaped how digital media and ad industries handle data protection and compliance. It's Europe's data protection regulation, addressing how organizations receive, process, and handle personal data. Its main objective is to strengthen protection of an individual's data and rights, both inside and outside the EU.
Who does GDPR apply to?
Although the EU created and adopted GDPR, it applies to all companies operating in the EU, as well as organizations outside the EU that provide goods or services to consumers or businesses in the EU. In practice, that means GDPR applies to any organization that targets or collects data on individuals in the EU, regardless of where that organization is headquartered.
GDPR came into effect on May 25, 2018. If you're a citizen or resident of an EU member state or the United Kingdom, GDPR gives you specific rights over your personal information (PI), including the ability to request access, correction, restriction, or deletion, and the ability to object to how it's processed.
What counts as personal data under GDPR?
GDPR treats any data used to identify a specific person as personal data. That includes name, email address, location, gender, and fingerprint data, among other identifiers. Some data that's less obviously personal, like an IP address, can also count as personal information.
What has Data Mappers done to align with GDPR?
Data Mappers has been a data solutions provider for more than a decade, and we've pledged to respect personal data security and privacy throughout. We've taken specific steps toward GDPR readiness, including a team of subject-matter specialists who systematically review our products and services, and updates to our product descriptions, marketing materials, and policies to align our data practices with GDPR requirements.
Specifically, our team has:
- Avoided collecting or exchanging sensitive personal data about EU citizens, including health, genetic, biometric, national origin, gender, or similar data
- Sourced data from publicly accessible channels, including public business directories, trade publications, newsletters, trade exhibitions, and business events
- Limited business contacts to information individuals have freely provided in public domains for business communication, such as location, corporate email, and company address
- Prohibited sharing your contacts with unrelated information, and followed strict procedures to safeguard, securely distribute, and revoke access to data. All information is password-protected and encrypted
- Informed clients of GDPR and its requirements
- Explained to everyone how they may use the marketing databases we license for advertising and sales
- Obtained consent before sending marketing emails, with an opt-out on every send, and processed opt-out requests based on that response
Frequently asked questions
Who does GDPR apply to?
GDPR applies to all organizations operating in the EU, plus organizations outside the EU that provide goods or services to consumers or businesses in the EU. If a company targets or collects data on individuals in the EU, GDPR applies to it, regardless of where the company itself is based.
What counts as personal data under GDPR?
Any data that can identify a specific person: name, email address, location, gender, fingerprint, and similar identifiers. Some data that's less obviously personal, like an IP address, can also count as personal information.
Does Data Mappers collect sensitive personal data on EU citizens?
No. Data Mappers does not collect or exchange health, genetic, biometric, national origin, gender, or other sensitive personal data about EU citizens.
Where does Data Mappers source its EU business contact data from?
From publicly accessible sources such as public business directories, industry publications, newsletters, trade exhibitions, and business events, plus business contacts who have provided their own information publicly for business communication purposes.
Do you get consent before sending marketing emails?
Yes. We obtain consent before sending marketing emails, and every email includes an opt-out option. Requests are processed based on the recipient's response.
How is my data protected once Data Mappers has it?
Data is password-protected and stored in encrypted format. We follow strict procedures to safeguard data, distribute it securely, and revoke access when needed, and we prohibit sharing contacts with unrelated information.