Data Privacy Tips for Digital Marketers

Eva Maria Schmidt
August 26, 2019

Ready or not, here it comes: the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) goes into effect on January 1, 2020. For marketers, understanding data privacy is critical. But the regulations are complex. Since its enactment in 2018, Europe’s GDPR has wreaked havoc for many companies and brands that market internationally. CCPA could do the same for marketers who are not prepared.

Gone are the days when digital privacy was just a courtesy or something for the IT department to worry about. It’s a big deal today. An October 2018 poll conducted by cybersecurity services firm Symantec found 83 percent of internet users worldwide were concerned about their privacy.

And while Europe got a head start on enacting new regulations, the U.S. is catching up. Particularly with the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal during the 2016 election, Americans have become more concerned about privacy and voicing their desire for protections from our federal and local governments. The challenge ahead for U.S. marketers is the number of different state and federal laws coming that could affect how privacy compliance is enforced. Many are bills that have yet to be voted on. Some will be modeled after CCPA; others will not. This could leave marketers facing a fragmented landscape of privacy policies, much like the EU experienced, which was a catalyst for GDPR. CCPA itself is changing rapidly even before it goes into effect, with at least a dozen amendments at play.

Clearly, marketers need to be prepared – and we’ll do our best to help you. We recently hosted a webinar on data privacy, featuring some of our Selligent experts. As part of that effort, we prepared a strategic checklist to help marketers prepare for the regulations that will most affect them. To get you started, here’s a quick look at a few of these tips that can help you maintain your marketing momentum, in light of the new regulatory landscape.

  1. Review what personal information is currently being collected by your company

  2. Assess this information: how it’s being used, who it’s shared with, etc.

  3. Review your company’s existing data privacy policies & procedures

  4. Update any policies, internal or external, for compliance

  5. Delete any unneeded consumer information

Don’t let CCPA and GDPR derail your marketing momentum. Download our free checklist, “10 Steps to Prepare for Data Privacy Regulations,” for an even more comprehensive list of tips that will help you prepare for compliance. And contact us if you have any questions about data privacy regulations and preparedness. Our Selligent team includes experts in data privacy, marketing, and maintaining email communications, and they’re ready to help you.