The term “data protection” has become one of the most popular terms in recent years. The reason is simple: the entry into force of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, together with the entry into force of the new Organic Law on Data Protection, adapting the former to the Spanish legal framework. Both have become fundamental texts of the protection of personal data But what exactly does this concept mean? And, more importantly, why is it so valuable?
Protection of personal data
The protection of personal data is a legal subject that has intensified enormously in recent years. The responsibility? The explosion of the internet as a professional and personal environment. Today, more than ever, users use the internet for a multitude of services that require the use of their most sensitive personal data. A confidential information whose storage and handling must be appropriately defined to protect the privacy of its holders. Information that must be protected.
But how to do it? The current regulations on protection of personal data limit the ability of companies to use such information. But not only that: they also set out how companies must act to ensure that the personal data of third parties is kept secure. In other words, companies must take all necessary actions to safeguard the personal data of users, customers, employees and suppliers with whom they interact in the course of their business.
This involves actions such as conducting a risk analysis. A tool to increase the data protection of a company by providing us with information about the threats that could threaten it. In this sense, companies are also obliged to implement cybersecurity measures capable of keeping their digital environment protected. Oh, and they are also obliged to notify any kind of security breach to the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEDP), which could fine them for it.
Data protection law for companies
There are many other actions of data protection in a company. For example, the use of metadata processing software. What is metadata? That is the main problem: metadata are, in many cases, real strangers to organisations. But it is an element capable of leaking confidential or sensitive information from inside our company to the outside. Including, of course, personal data of third parties that we have stored on our servers or hard drives.
In this respect, having an automatic metadata editing tool for the various professional digital work environments (Outlook, Microsoft Office, Exchange, etc.) is indispensable. The data protection in a company is unthinkable without a conscious metadata policy, and this cannot be implemented without the help of specialised software like MetaClean. Neglecting this section of data protection could trigger a severe financial penalty from the Spanish Data Protection Agency.
Other actions relevant to the data protection in a company are the employment of a DPO (Data Protection Officer), the training of employees in personal data protection, regular external audits and permanent internal monitoring. Only in this way can we ensure the protection of the personal data of third parties that we store and handle in our company. Don't forget any of them if you want to comply with the LOPD in each and every one of its points.
