Attention Australian small business owners: As you may have heard, the European Union recently enacted a data privacy regulation called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Now you may be wondering—how could a European law affect my business down under?

Quite simply, the GDPR is raising the global standard for data protection, and Australians are taking privacy more seriously as well. Although GDPR compliance is mandatory only for businesses with EU customers, adhering to these guidelines can benefit any enterprise by building customer trust and preventing costly data leaks.

Essentially, the law requires clearly communicating how you collect and use customer data while also allowing your users to access or erase that information. This aligns closely with existing Australian privacy principles around transparency and consent. Investing some time now to audit your data practices, update consent forms and strengthen security protocols demonstrates respect for your clients and safeguards your reputation.

So while you may not have European constituents, implementing GDPR-style policies represents digital responsibility and reflects consumer values that your company should embrace regardless. Future Australian regulations may end up modeling such protections too. Get ahead of the curve while also gaining goodwill with the privacy-minded customers of today. It’s not only the right thing to do, but the prudent thing for growing an ethical 21st century small business.

Need help understanding how the GDPR effects your business? Get in touch today!