The new privacy act known as Law 25 in Québec is making a lot of noise over the recent times. In case you live and operate a business dealing with customer data in Québec, you probably know about it or at least you must do so. It is something that is no longer a delay or postponement any longer. Law 25 compliance has become a major issue that you cannot afford to treat as a checklist issue, and ensuring that the business works with its requirements is something you cannot afford to ignore.
Why Law 25 Can’t Be Ignored
Privacy laws are changing all over the globe and Québec is not an exclusion. Law 25, previously Bill 64, is a piece of a larger movement that aims to bring businesses to respect and treat personal information in their possession in a more appropriate way. It also covers not only local companies but any organization that deals with personal information of Quebec residents. Even though you may be located in a province-based area, you may even have to adhere to it.
What is especially remarkable in this law is its breadth and punishments that can be imposed on non-observance. Privacy policy turned out not to be merely a document to place on the web site anymore. Businesses should now incorporate the concept of privacy within the fabric of their business operations.
Getting Started With Compliance
The first thing that must be done is to understand what type of personal information is being collected. Many companies are not even aware of the amount they have and the weakness it has. Identities, email addresses, phone numbers and IP addresses would also be personal information in the light of Law 25. You will need to do a means list, evaluate where it is stored and its retention, and the people with access to it as well.
The second thing would be to designate someone to be accountable with regards to privacy in your company. Law 25 insists that each business should appoint a person tasked with ensuring that there is compliance that is being handled. This is not necessarily a full time job even in smaller companies, but when it is not full time it has to be clear who takes the reins.
Internal Policies Matter More Than Ever
Whether your business has good internal privacy policies in place already or not, now is a good time to make some or establish them. These must target the modality of data collection, how it can be stored, and the conditions under which this can be shared.
In addition, Law 25 provides much talk about transparency. This implies that the collection need to inform the customers clearly when their information is being captured, why it is required, and how it will be applied as well as the time it will take to dispose of it. You will also have to allow them the right to access or fix their information, and even to have them deleted.
Privacy by Design and Default
Law 25 also puts in place a system, known as privacy by default, which implies that the maximum privacy settings are supposed to be activated by default. This damages such things as forms, cookies, and online tracking. Use of apps or websites to monitor the user behaviour in business may require updating on how such data is gathered and what is consented to by the users.
The same way, designing new systems or platforms requires their planning to be integrated with privacy right at the beginning of the process. It is no longer a viable idea to come up with a structure and then think about privacy later.
Handling Breaches and Incidents
The next significant component of Law 25 is the data breach info that your business has to comply with. In a situation where personal information may have been compromised or exploited, it is your obligation to disclose the same to the authorities and the affected individuals as well. This is why the availability of a deployment plan prior to anything bad happening is extremely important.
A Culture Shift, Not Just a Legal Obligation
Law 25 is not just some legal requirements but it is emerging businesses to consider personal information in a different way. The customers are becoming more privacy-conscious than ever and expect companies to respect their rights. Adjusting to Law 25 is actually a competitive advantage that can be achieved when done in the right manner.
Is your business ready? Adapting to the Law 25 is not only about evading any fines but it is also about establishing trust with your customers and making them feel that their data is valued. Start today, consider step by step and make privacy a usual thing in your way of business.