IT Pros Want Stronger GDPR Laws: Study

IT personnel are tasked with the technical side of GDPR compliance. But almost half feel the regulation isn’t strong enough, according to a study byAvecto. In the U.S., only 31% think the law is sufficient.

That doesn’t mean their firms are ready for GDPR. According to Avecto, 40% of the U.S. respondents, 20% of German respondents and 15% of UK respondents are unaware of any GDPR preparation at their firms.

Avecto surveyed 500 IT and cybersecurity professionals. Of those, 37% are more concerned about their company’s data protection strategy in the wake of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Many companies have assigned a data protection officer — but not all. The UK leads the way, with 63% reporting they have a dedicated staff member to handle data protection, compared with 52% of German firms and 27% of North American entitles. 

In addition, 70% of the respondents in the UK and Germany understand GDPR fines, compared with 38% of the North Americans.

British and German firms are also more likely to grasp that the GDPR impacts any company with European customers, employees and partners — 66% say so, compared with 56% in the U.D.

Over one-fourth of the firms represented do not conduct data audits 

“With the GDPR coming into effect, companies are facing a new era of compliance and transparency when it comes to managing and storing their personal data,” states Simon Langton, vice president of professional services at Avecto.

He adds: “While some see this as detrimental to business operations, we see this as a positive change. The GDPR is creating a culture of accountability, and it will force companies to review policies, procedures and best practices to protect the privacy of those with whom they do business.”

 

 

 

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