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Nearly a year on, many people are still confused about the new laws on data protection, and with the next phase of regulations soon to come in, a 'plain English' guide has been developed.
25 May 2019 will mark the end of the 12 month transitional period after the new law came in, and it will be fully implemented.
Knowing that many people did find the new law confusing, Guernsey's Office of the Data Protection Authority (ODPA) is offering 'practical guidance' to all Bailiwick organisations through its new free guide, as well as hosting fortnightly drop-in sessions.
‘Transition: a plain English guide for organisations’ is out now, and is available online, with guidance on the current law and also the changes coming in from May 25.
Pictured: Just some of the questions answered on the ODPA website here.
The ODPA says several complex areas didn't come into force when The Data Protection (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2017 was introduced in May 2018. That was the same day as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) but ours is slightly different.
The new guide which is available online gives a plain English overview of each of those different areas and explains what steps organisations need to take to comply with them.
Emma Martins, Data Protection Commissioner, said it's important this guidance is given.
"As with any law, data protection legislation is full of technical and legal language which is challenging even to experts. Data protection is not just for lawyers, it matters to us all so we must ensure that the rights and obligations the law sets out are presented in an accessible and straightforward way, using jargon-free language. At my office we are committed to communicating as clearly and concisely as possible in everything we do. Encouraging understanding of and engagement with data protection means we can all benefit from ensuring it is done well."
Pictured: Just some of the questions answered on the ODPA website here.
In addition to the plain English guide, the ODPA is hosting fortnightly drop-in sessions, so organisations can visit the ODPA’s office between 09:00 – 12:00 every other Wednesday. The aim of these sessions is to give organisations regular opportunities to ask questions, and discuss any issues.
The next session will be held on Wednesday 27 March.
Organisations will soon also be able to request a ‘study visit’, whereby small groups of staff from a regulated organisation can explore a specific issue or topic in more depth with a member of ODPA staff.
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