Why the GDPR applies to your business—regardless of your EU footprint

Should you be concerned about Europe’s new laws on consumer data collection and security?

The GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation) passed in the European Union (EU) in May of 2018 and is one of the most popular topics of discussion amongst businesses who may or may not conduct business on an international level.

Time and time again, businesses and even media publications have stated that GDPR isn’t important to them, simply because they’re either “not affected” or “not governed” by these regulations. Many hold the perception that GDPR only applies to those in the EU, or those who manage business directly in the EU.

There is a misconception that the GDPR does not apply to businesses who do not offer goods or services to EU consumers, or process personal EU data. However, in all these scenarios, the GDPR rules and regulations still apply.

Here are three of the most common misconceptions about how the GDPR affects your business:

1. My organization does not process EU personal data.

One of the first misconceptions about GDPR results from an organization’s belief that they do not process personal data from the European Union.