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GDPR Compliance date has finally arrived!

What the heck is GDPR compliance?  My thoughts were exactly the same until a few months ago. GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation. I’ll include some links for those of you who are truly interested but basically what it is that the European Union back in April 2016 gave every website (in the world) who has visitors from the EU until May 28th, 2018 to change what data they collect on their websites and how they handle it. This gives EU residents the right to know what info is collected.  I believe that US citizens will benefit greatly from this change.  The more we know about who has our information the better, especially for sites like this where discretion is paramount.

Have you noticed all the new TOS that websites have been sending you, same with mailing lists?  Even the big dogs like Twitter and Facebook are all set to change on the exact same day.  There is a reason…the dreaded day has come for all websites to have to meet become GDPR compliance.   I am completely on board with your/our right to know who has our information and what they are doing with it.  I have also become completely GDPR compliant.

GDPR says you have the right to know what I collect from you and what I do with it.  So basically here ya go:
  • My site sets a cookie so I can track what website you found me on.  This of course helps me decide where to put my advertising dollars.
  • My website form:  I verify it, and delete it once we meet.  The exception to this is data that is false anyway (you gave a fake name).  I keep these even if we don’t meet to remind me why I did not meet you in the first place.  They are stored offshore in Switzerland on a secure sever.  No one other than me has access to that account.  If you would like me to delete your fake information you can write to me and I will.
  • Mailing lists:  My mailing list program has been compliant for quite some time so no changes are needed.  You have complete control of when you come and go from my lists.
  • I do not store any other data long term as of May 25th, 2018

***VERY IMPORTANT Re-Screening:   For those of you I have not met in recent years or met a single time years ago.  Screening may be necessary again because I do not have any of your information.  This will of course also affect references, so be aware of that.  6 months is my policy and that will remain.  Of course as usual screening is done on my contact form here.  You can also email me this information but make sure to follow up if you attach photos or anything else as those might end up in spam.

I think that pretty much covers it.  I am putting this post up on May 23rd, 2018 so there may still be some tweeks by the 25th, but rest assured it will be done.  This of course has taken dozens of hours of admin and will take dozens more over the coming months as I wade through this, but it’s worth it for the right to privacy.

The official privacy policy can be found here.  Privacy policy generators are pretty standard so do note what I said in the above post as to how your data is collected and stored.

Links for those of you who are interested in more GDPR information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation   I am not a Wiki person but it is basic for those non-techies.
This site explains the difference from old law to new

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