The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) came into force across the European Union on 25th May 2018 and brings with it the most significant changes to data protection law in two decades. To be fair these changes were flagged several years ago but as with everything, a lot of companies took the attitude, bury your head until you need to.
And so it was that we found our inboxes full of pleading marketing messages, often becoming increasingly needy and sounding like that ex partner who won’t stop messaging you on Facebook.
The truth is there have been no text cases to clarify this law. The interpretations of it vary wildly from marketing dept to marketing dept, based largely it seems on how brash they are feeling. Do we opt in or opt out? Some don’t even bother with an unsubscribe and just say ‘contact us’ if you don’t want to receive emails anymore. I had dinner with the head of GDPR compliance for Accenture the week before this was implemented and he was telling stories of FTSE 100 and huge multi-national companies creating marketing policies that were in his eyes completely illegal. In this wild west environment, what possible hope does your regula ol’ SME have of navigating the highways and by-ways of EU legislation?
Well if you want an example of what we at Wiser Websites thinks you should be doing you can read our privacy policy here as well as our updated GDPR page with details of all the steps we took before May 25th and our ongoing commitment following May 25th.
If on the other hand you’re just looking for some examples of the most pleading and pathetic GDPR emails look no further , we have listed our favourite below but if you want more please visit Co.Design for whom we are eternally grateful for the example bellow.
The worst email of the GDPR mayhem
The award for worst GDPR email of all time has to go to VITL who care so much about your privacy they decided to give your email address to everyone else who’s privacy they also care about. HUGE FACE SLAP ON FOREHEAD !
Runners up prize to the Lib Dem campaigner who sent out a fundraising email with the openign line, Head Office says we can’t use the @liub-dems email lists untill this GDPR thing is sorted out so I’m sending this from my personal Gmail account! Again HUGE FACE SLAP ON FOREHEAD !
