What is the GDPR?

GDPR is also known as General Data Protection Regulation. It's a new law that affects not only European citizens and residents, but people all over the world. It came into effect on 25th May 2018.

The purpose of the regulation is to protect people from being exploited by big companies who collect data and use it to target-market individuals.

Here's What Wikipedia Says

As a website owner you are required to comply with the GDPR if your website can be accessed by people in Europe.

As a responsible person I embrace the regulation and support our right to privacy and the right to be forgotten.

Are you complying with the GDPR yet? There's more to it than simply updating your privacy policy page.

In this tutorial I've attempted to cover the many different things that you'll want to know about regarding the GDPR. If I've missed something then please tell me in the comments below so I can add it to the tutorial.

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T1967 Premium
HEY MARION, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU BUT I DID EVERYTHING STEP BY STEP IN THE VIDEO AND MY WEBSITE WENT NUTS...SEE PIC ATTACHED.
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T1967 Premium
OK...I CLICKED TO ADD THE PIC AND IT FINISHED MY COMMENT AND THERE IS NO BUTTON TO EDIT THE COMMENT ANYMORE......HOW DO I EDIT ADD OR DELETE A COMENT PLEASE MARION.

OK. ...SO WHEN THE 'PRESS ALLOW' BUTTON APPEARS AND THE CHATCH THING I DO AS I SHOULD AND THEN CLICK 'NOW' BUT NOTHING HAPPENS...CANT GET TO THE WEBSITE. I GOT A FRIEND TO TRY IT TO IN A SEPERATE COUNTRY ETC AND THE SAME HAPPENED.

I DELETED THE PLUGIN AND THE WEBSITE WENT BACK TO NORMAL ......ANY TIPS PLEASE....? XOXOXO TO U AND YOURS
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MarionBlack Premium
Which plugin did you install, Tania? I've never seen that before.

I know it's a little hard to see but there's a tiny pale grey icon top right of your comment which drops down to reveal the options to Edit Comment or Delete Comment. It looks like a small "v".

Use Ctrl plus your mouse's scroll wheel to make the text in your browser bigger or smaller. Ctrl+0 (zero) will return it to normal size.
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T1967 Premium
FOUND THE EDIT..THANKS U
I USED THE ONE U USED IN YOUR VIDEO :-(
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MarionBlack Premium
Are you absolutely sure it was the same plugin? Perhaps you have another plugin that clashes with WP GDPR Compliance Version 1.4.2 By Van Ons.
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T1967 Premium
DEFO DO RIGHT ONE......DIDN'T SAY IT WAS CONFLICTING. BUT WHO KNOWS.......

GUNNAR SETHE UP THE WP SETTINGS INSTEAD.... BUT THANK U XOZOZOO
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JosonInc Premium
Thanks for this share Marion ! Getting ready to tackle this today and the next few days! ha ha ha. Have a good one.

Joe from the High Desert of So California
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MarionBlack Premium
Sounds like you've got it all worked out :)
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MDejarme Premium
Thanks for sharing.
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MarionBlack Premium
You're welcome, Nanet.
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MKearns Premium
Great post-Marion. As soon as there is more definition and resolution I hope we can see worldwide applicable templates come out
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MarionBlack Premium
I really would like to see the whole world protected.
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onmyownterms Premium
Love your disclaimer. ;)
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MarionBlack Premium
Thanks, Mel. I might need it :)
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jvranjes Premium
"if your website can be accessed by people in Europe."

Are you sure this is a correct statement? I here in a discussion from yesterday that this is not so. A EU citizen is supposed to be protected regardless from where he/she is accessing your site.

I am just repeating what was claimed.
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MarionBlack Premium
I'm just going by what I've read including this extract from Wikipedia:
"The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU and EEA. The GDPR aims primarily to give control to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU.[1]"

It doesn't mention European citizens that are not located within Europe.

Please note that I am not a lawyer and therefore not qualified to give legal advice.

Thanks for bringing up this aspect, Jovo.
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jvranjes Premium
I understand, pity we do not have a legal expert to make this clear.
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jvranjes Premium
See this link

https://www.eugdpr.org/gdpr-faqs.html

It says " if they offer goods or services to, or monitor the behaviour of, EU data subjects."

So this is not "people in Europe". Wikipedia is not the official voice of the EU.

The question is, what is the true meaning?
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MarionBlack Premium
As far as I'm concerned it should apply to every citizen of the world. We should all have the right to privacy and the right to be forgotten.

I just read this on the link you've given me:
"Who does the GDPR affect?
The GDPR not only applies to organisations located within the EU but it will also apply to organisations located outside of the EU if they offer goods or services to, or monitor the behaviour of, EU data subjects. It applies to all companies processing and holding the personal data of data subjects residing in the European Union, regardless of the company’s location."
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StefanC Premium
Legal experts charge at leat 500 euros and 150 euros per hour. I am yet to discover legal experts providing legal advice on GDPR for affordable prices for bloggers. That's the situation.
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jvranjes Premium
Yes this is the paragraph from which I gave the previous quote.

So back to my starting question. Is it "people in Europe" as you wrote? Or is it citizens of Europe regardless from where they come to your site. The difference is essential (and potentially costly).
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jvranjes Premium
But we do not need them in principle. The legislator's duty is to make this clear in the law. They did a bad job as far as I understand.
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jvranjes Premium
See why I am asking; US brands now block me. No doubt they do this by my computer IP address. This would indicate (if they understood the law correctly) that this is by EU territory. But what if this is not so?

I go outside of EU and access this site, so should I sue them? I am an EU citizen anywhere.
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MarionBlack Premium
They do use the word "residing", so I'm thinking that it protects people living in Europe (whether they are European citizens or not).
"It applies to all companies processing and holding the personal data of data subjects residing in the European Union"

So from that, I guess that European citizens who reside elsewhere in the world are not protected YET.
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jvranjes Premium
I took the note about the disclaimer.

I can be travelling the world and still be residing in the EU.

But in any case this contradicts to what Dom wrote yesterday (see Labman's blog). So the bottom line is we have no clear answer.
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StefanC Premium
I believe you are right Jovo, it's EU citizen regardless of their location.

Also, you are right that the law is unclear in many aspects. Deep study is required to minimize the risks. However, I don't think they will apply fines without giving people the chance to change
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MarionBlack Premium
I think that is very short-sighted on the part of those companies that are blocking people based on their geo-location. I really would like to see the GDPR apply worldwide.
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StefanC Premium
Got it! Yeah, they are using the easy approach of blocking EU ips, but that doesn't make them compliant. Now, if you are successful suing them is another story. I don't think a business outside Europe will ever be sued for this. Very complicated Jovo! I think not even the legislators know what to do. Only time will tell
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jvranjes Premium
You are right Marion. One of them is Backcountry-com, the second largest US outdoor retailer. Very surprising what they are doing. Have seen several in my niche. It is becoming annoying.
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StefanC Premium
Hi Marion, I think the price to pay is disproportionate compared to real benefits for individuals. Instead, They are making the process of doing business harder for individuals.

The time you are wasting to research how to block cookies could be used to increase production. It's waste of capital, now I have another price to pay for specific services because I am not a lawyer nor a web developer.

It makes user experience rubbish... It makes Google Analytics tracking useless For EU residents. It creates fear and a false perception that websites are trying to get secret data to spy people's lives.
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MarionBlack Premium
There are some companies that are doing just that, Stefan. Without naming names some very big companies are tracking people's online movements and serving up ads based on their browsing history.

And there's this:
https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/wow-thats-disgustingly-devious-facebook-accused-of-cheap-trick-in-new-privacy-policy/news-story/21213d8ff52fbc3b431c6b6062bf1c26
https://noyb.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/complaint-facebook.pdf
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StefanC Premium
Hmm, people are not forced to use the website if they don't want to share their data. If they are so concerned about it, them simply don't use the website! Go back to the caves

Now, companies are forced to provide not only free service but also accept getting nothing in return? Would this be a business or charity?
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StefanC Premium
Why is it so bad companies will track your movement to display relevant ads? no one is pointing a gun to your head and forcing you to buy anything.

Sorry, but it makes no sense at all
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MarionBlack Premium
Thank for sharing your thoughts, Stefan.
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