GDPR and Document Review: Best Practices
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a legal framework created by the European Union to protect the personal data of its citizens. GDPR has far-reaching implications in the global business scene, and every organization that collects, processes, or stores personal data of EU citizens needs to comply with the GDPR guidelines. One of the most crucial aspects of GDPR compliance is document review. This article looks at the best practices for GDPR document review.
Document review is the process of assessing the content of a document to make sure that it complies with GDPR. Document review can be done on any type of content that contains EU personal data, including emails, contracts, invoices, and agreements. Document review ensures that there is no potential data, privacy, or confidentiality breach. Organizations that process personal data are required by GDPR guidelines to provide a system for managing accessibility, confidentiality, integrity, and reviewability of any data that is collected or processed. Therefore, initiating and running a document review process is an essential compliance step for GDPR.
Here are some best practices for GDPR document review:
1. Evaluate the Scope of Your Data Handling
The first thing that organizations need to do before initiating a document review is to evaluate the scope of their data handling. Collecting, processing, preserving, and disclosing information should be outlined to pinpoint which activities require compliance with GDPR. This helps organizations to decide which documents should be reviewed first and where to place the most effort into ensuring compliance.
2. Identify Data Types Containing Personal Information
The next step is to identify the types of data that contain personal information. Personal information under GDPR includes any data that can be used to identify a person, such as name, address, email address, contact number, IP address, passport numbers, or photos. Taking stock of the data types enables organizations to manage the GDPR requirements for document collection, use, and disposition.
3. Implement Appropriate Document Review Tools and Techniques
There are several tools and techniques that organizations can use to break down document data and review it for GDPR compliance. For instance, organizations can use deduplication mechanisms to eliminate duplicate data, or machine learning tools to classify documents by type and content. Use the appropriate tools and techniques based on the document type, data content, size, and regulatory requirements for lifting the burden of GDPR compliance.
4. Define and Apply Relevant GDPR Laws and Regulations
It is essential to understand that GDPR is not a blanket law that demands a one-size-fits-all approach to all data types. Different laws and regulations apply to distinct types of data, and GDPR guidelines outline rules for particular data types. Therefore, organizations should define relevant GDPR laws and regulations for the specific data types they collect, process and store. This helps to remove confusion and ensure complete GDPR compliance.
5. Integrate Quality Assurance and Review Protocols
Finally, organizations should integrate quality assurance and review protocols into their document review process. Quality assurance ensures that the data is reviewed for compliance against GDPR laws and regulations; whereas, review protocols enable organizations to see the review process through to completion. Integrating quality assurance and review protocols ensures that document review procedures are followed uniformly and protocols are in place to correct noncompliance areas.
In conclusion, GDPR is a crucial compliance issue for organizations handling EU personal data. Document review is a critical element in GDPR compliance, and organizations need to have the appropriate tools and methods in place to ensure compliance across all areas of their organization. By evaluating the scope of their data handling, identifying the data types containing personal information, implementing appropriate document review tools and techniques, defining and applying relevant GDPR laws and providing quality assurance, and review protocols, organizations can easily ensure GDPR compliance. Working with experienced data protection experts and implementing GDPR-compliant document review software tools ensures a smooth and successful compliance process.
Check out HelpRange
Check out our product HelpRange. It is designed to securely store (GDPR compliant), share, protect,
sell, e-sign and analyze usage of your documents.