GDPR is Good for Event Organizers. Seriously

8 Things You Stand to Gain from Our Compliance

You must have seen one of these emails lately. In fact, if you have an email inbox and you live on Earth, you must have seen a thousand of them. All of these seem to have one thing in common: a subject line smelling of desperation. GDPR desperation, to be more precise.

“Don’t leave us this way.”

“Please don’t go.”

“It’s the final countdown.”

You have to wonder.

 

First, are all the people begging you to continue reading their emails and newsletters huge fans of 80’s pop? Second, is GDPR, also known as the EU’s new General Data Protection Rules so horrible form a marketer’s point of view?

Answers:

Yes. No surprise here

No. Seriously. GDPR can be useful for companies reaching out to clients and prospects.

Here are eight reasons why we believe you should embrace GDPR, the Swapcard way.

 

What You Need to Know

So, are you compliant with the General Data Protection Rules (GDPR)?

As of May 25, 2018, a new data protection framework expanded EU individuals’ privacy rights. No matter where you’re based, GDPR places essential new obligations on organizations that track or handle personal data. That means you - event organizers and planners - and us here at event platform Swapcard.

Hold on. Take a deep breath. We’re here to help.

How? Through Swapcard’s robust privacy and security protections we make sure your attendees’ data are safe - and so are you.

 

Why We Care

We’ve always had comprehensive policies and procedures for ensuring we store and process personal data in a secure way. However, GDPR means we’ve been reviewing and updating best practices as well as conducting internal training.

Swapcard welcomes the GDPR. For us, it’s an opportunity to deepen our commitment to data protection. For you, it means there are nine bases you need to cover. So this is where we come into the picture to make your life easier.

 

How to Comply

Here are the fundamental changes that GDPR entails for event organizers and planners - and how we respond and comply.

  • Attendees must opt-in when they register for an event. That means they agree their data will be stored and accessed for three years by you - the organizers - and us.
  • Opt-in forms, the dates when they were completed, and their sources must be tracked and saved.
  • After three years, that inactive users’ details should be removed and deleted from the database.
  • Attendees’ data will not be exchanged with or transferred to any other organization or company.
  • Personal data will not be used for commercialization purposes. That means organizers can contact attendees through the app like any other participant, but we will never share the full attendees’ list.
  • We’ve updated contractual terms and conditions to redefine responsibilities and liabilities concerning personal data. The result is more transparent rules for managing personal data and definitions of each party's accountability
  • We introduced new technical measures to ensure security matches data risk. By monitoring trends in user/system activity, we are now better positioned to identify anomalies in human/machine behavior. That means we are better prepared to detect unauthorized actions which may be linked to a data breach.
  • These updates will allow Swapcard clients to easily publish their privacy notice and collect consent for their use of participants’ data – and prove when permission was given.

Just So We're on the Same Page: These Recommendations Are Not Legal Advice

A final reminder: the above information has been provided to help you better understand Swapcard’s position on the GDPR and how we’ll be supporting compliance. However, the information in this article is not legal advice. For many businesses, coordinating with legal representation is the best way to prepare for the GDPR.

Trusted by more than 1000 event organizers, Swapcard is one of the most secure and reliable event engagement technology platforms on the market.

Learn more about our security features and policies on our data security page. Alternatively, feel free to schedule a chat with someone from our team.

 

One Final Warning

Please refrain from sending us an email with an 80’s inspired subject line. If you do, we will show up in your open space and start screaming “with or without you”.

In a loop.

Ilan Goren, Head of Content, Swapcard
Ilan Goren, Head of Content, Swapcard

I help organisations transform their core competencies through strategic storytelling . Background as a published author and journalist.

Screenshot 2023-02-15 at 12.27.45 PM-1
Join our community of over 10,000 event enthusiasts who receive exclusive news, tips, and insider info!
New call-to-action