Striving for GDPR-fection

In recent years, it's been easy for media professionals to say 'the next year will be critical for the PR and communications industry'. I've resisted uttering these words for some time. However, I truly believe 2018 is going to be vital for the media world.

This, for me, is due to one factor, and one factor alone - GDPR.

GDPR isn't exclusive for those in PR, don't let that acronym make you think otherwise. It stands for General Data Protection Regulation and it is replacing the Data Protection Act 1998, so if you haven't heard of it, you will.

On 25th May 2018, the law is changing the way we receive any data. The key difference is that you have the power to what you receive. Only you can choose what to opt-in, as opposed to someone opting you into something they think you may want, but you don't really. The information you receive by email, for instance, is tailored for you - the days of junk and pointless letters are over. It affects everyone.

The law is powered by the European Union and the British government intend to continue it after the UK leaves the EU. It will, the EU states, ensure increased privacy for individuals.

Why is GDPR critical for communications professionals? Here's one scenario - media relations is a pivotal responsibility for a typical PR practitioner which partly entails of sending out press releases to multiple journalists, most of whom did not opt-in to receive. Most journalists have hundreds of these emails every working day, the majority of which are unwanted and irrelevant to their forever-changing news agenda. With the introduction of GDPR, every individual reporter will have the same access to the law as anyone else. They can be even pickier to what stories they get, or who they come from.

As far as media relations goes, GDPR may not be as problematic for PR agencies or in-house departments. If they are, say, a paid-up member of a media monitoring and/or press release distribution company like Kantar, Gorkana or PR Max, it would be up to them to ensure reporters, and the titles they work for, opt-in to emails coming from their automated systems. It is up to these titles to make their GDPR policies clear. For PR freelancers who aren't members of Kantar and the like, they'll need to learn GDPR policies of media titles and treat their contact lists like their crown jewels.

Of course, GDPR goes beyond media relations and for everything PR practitioners do, compliance will be key. PRs have made sure their work is relevant in the midst of social media dominance, GDPR should be seen as another obstacle shoved to one side and overcome. Fail to comply, then it could ruin PR firms and departments for good.

For more about GDPR, click here.