You’ve probably noticed a huge uptick in the number of websites asking for your cookie and tracking preferences over the last few years. But do you know why these sites are now getting your permission for something they used to do without telling you? It’s because of a new EU law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These laws are having a big impact across the web, and not just in Europe. In fact, your site probably needs to be GDPR-compliant even if you operate in the US.

We Can Make Your Site GDPR-Compliant

I use a specially created plugin called CookieYes to ensure that your site meets all GDPR compliance requirements. This customizable solution can be used to gather all necessary consent, inform browsers of their rights, and create location-specific information for users. Interested in this service? Send me a message and I’ll get back to you right away!

What is the GDPR?

The GDPR is a new law created to protect the privacy of EU-based internet users. The basic gist of the law says that people own their data, not the companies whose sites they visit. The law affirms that people have certain rights in regards to their data. These are:

• The right to be informed
• The right of access
• The right to rectification
• The right to erasure
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

In the past, the companies whose sites one visited could collect all sorts of information without informing you or getting permission. These laws are in place to put the control of a person’s data back into their own hands. 

Why You Need to Be GDPR-Compliant

The most important reason to be GDPR-compliant is that it reduces your risk of legal troubles like lawsuits and even fines. Being in compliance not only helps you avoid lawsuits and fines, it also shows your customers that you respect their data and their privacy. There are other data privacy laws out there, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, that aim to accomplish many of the same goals as the GDPR that create other liabilities for your company.

GDPR FAQs

I get asked a lot of questions about GDPR compliance, so I wanted to collect a few of the most common ones here along with some basic answers. If you have more questions or you want clarification on anything, please feel free to reach out.

How does this EU-based law apply to my US-based business/website?

It applies to your US-based website because people in Europe can interact with your site online. Mutual assistance treaties provide countries across the world with the means to help enforce laws from other countries. The reverse of the EU law is true, too: the California Consumer Privacy Act means websites across the world have to meet their standards.

Why does this law exist?

These privacy laws were written in response to the assumed or stated ownership of people’s data by websites and online providers since the beginning of the internet. These laws are there to make people aware of their rights to privacy and the ownership of their data, including browsing habits.

What happens if my site isn’t compliant?

Potentially nothing. While you could go a long time without dealing with a breach or a GDPR request, it’s a risk you probably don’t want to take. For low-tier violations, you could be fined as much as $11,000,000 or 2% of the total value of your company’s revenue from the previous year. High tier violations mean that you could have to pay up to 4% of the previous year’s revenue or $22,000,000.

What do I need to be GDPR compliant?

There are a long list of requirements for compliance and they include (but are not limited to) only using data for lawful purposes, limiting the data you collect to the minimum required for the function you site, limiting the amount of time you store personal data, protecting people’s personal data through encryption, using the data you collect only for the reason you have described….there are many more requirements and exemptions, but these are among the most important. If you have special requirements for how data is used on your site, let us know.

How to Limit Your Risk with GDPR Compliance

We understand that you probably don’t have tons of time to research and implement strategies that are compliant with all of the legal requirements of the GDPR and California’s privacy laws. But don’t worry; I can help.

I can set up a plugin that will keep your company shielded and protected while giving your users control over their data. This plugin is designed to take the guesswork out of these thorny legal requirements. In addition to keeping you protected, it can be implemented in a number of different ways to ensure that it looks good on your site and achieves your custom functionality requirements.

The pricing for CookieYes scales based on your needs, which means you won’t be stuck paying for features and volume that you just don’t need.

Pricing for GDPR Compliance Protection

I only charge a $100 fee to integrate CookieYes into your website. CookieYes is very affordable and has a few different pricing tiers based on the amount of traffic to your website. Check out their pricing here: https://www.cookieyes.com/welcome/?ref=stephenhollingshead2