• by Ray Schultz , April 13, 2018

Four high-tech companies — Braze, Amplitude, mParticle and AppsFlyer — have teamed up to launch OpenGDPR, a framework for complying with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The move comes amidst increasing concern that marketers, including those that rely on email, are not yet ready for the regulation that takes effect on May 25. Based on the growing Facebook scandal, some believe that GDPR-style regulation should be passed — or observed in spirit — in the U.S.

For example, UpGuard CEO Mike Baukes writes on Forbes: “The dawning era of GDPR will have a global impact, dramatically altering how American companies handle data — a surprise for which not all domestic firms might be prepared.”

And Elena Souris and Hollie Russon Gilman write on Vox: “While the US still lacks such data standards, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), scheduled to take effect in May, demonstrates a path toward reliable online privacy balanced with transparency.”

OpenGDPR provides a framework for brands and their technology partners to manage GDPR requests and communicate with each other, the firms claim. Among other things, this will cover data access, portability and erasure, they add.

In addition, the product will provide increased interoperability across the technology stack, the companies say.

OpenGDPR comes with a public API specification and a set of recommended best practices.  

The firms contend that data subject requests requiring that companies act across multiple systems can be handled in real-time.

GDPR violations can lead to penalties running into millions of dollars, they note. 

Michael Katz, CEO and co-founder of mParticle, states that “it’s crucial for brands to not only have their own policies and processes in place to ensure compliance, but feel secure knowing their partners do as well.”

Braze, formerly Appboy, is a customer engagement platform that delivers messages via email, push and apps. AppsFlyer specializes in mobile attribution and marketing analytics.

Amplitude offers product analytics helps product teams build digital products. mParticle is the customer data platform that helps firms integrate their growth stacks.