Use GDPR to your advantage to clear emails
Q I KEEP getting emails about a new data protection requirement called GDPR. I can recognise some but many are from people I have never heard of. Some ask for very little but others demand almost all my life details including passwords and email address. What is all this about? And what should I do with these emails? Ann-Marie C A GDPR – the General Data Protection Regulation – is a European Union directive aimed at clarifying who has our personal data and what they do with it. It came into force on May 25. It should mean nobody holds our data (names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and social media whether online or on paper) without our permission.
But because the final details of the new rules were only made public days before the deadline, there was – and still is – a huge rush of organisations trying to contact you. GDPR applies to all – from national organisations to your local angling club.
There is no set formula so one of Britain’s top stores emailed its list to say if you were happy, then do nothing. Others have sent new “privacy” agreements although as these can run into thousands of words, which you cannot alter, they are unlike to be any better read than previous statements.
A further group has insisted people re-register with many of the details you mentioned.
A number of these have taken the GDPR opportunity to clean up their mailing lists. Asking for your email enables them to start over fresh with those who remain interested.
GDPR covers all data – not just details held electronically. It should also apply to phone lists so you should not get pest calls about PPI or personal injury claims.
Or the latest phone nonsense – “Your TalkTalk internet will be discontinued from today – press one to contact TalkTalk”. This has nothing to do with TalkTalk. It’s against the rules but scam merchants don’t care.
From your point of view, delete what does not make sense. Besides cleaning your inbox, you’ll avoid being caught out by the huge number of phoney emails which use the new rules as a smokescreen.