GDPR and spam - are you getting your email database in order?

While the GDPR has aroused resentment among many entrepreneurs, it certainly has its benefits. One of the consequences that the regulation is expected to bring is a reduction in spam. But it appears that the road to that point is still a long one.

The General Data Protection Regulation was created primarily to protect the sensitive data of individuals. As a result, for example, there should be a significant reduction in spam.

According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), more than 50% of emails sent are so-called spam. However, with the advent of GDPR, working with email sending databases has changed dramatically.

"The GDPR should ensure that there is no trading of personal data without the customer's knowledge. You also have the right to ask a company what data it stores and keeps about you. You can then ask for that data back from the company, and you can ask them to delete it," explains Ondřej Malý, coordinator of the Digital Agenda of the Czech Republic.

But Petr Liška, director of Česká spořitelna's legal department, is far more sceptical. According to him, the regulation was approached in a rather formal way, with companies primarily concerned with keeping their contracts and internal documents in order. "But whether it will actually work as expected, i.e. that we will not be flooded with unsolicited emails and harassed with unsolicited phone calls, I don't think it will succeed in principle," he said.

Because, according to Fox, GDPR will have a negative impact on honest companies and honest businessmen in particular. "They will have more work, more costs and more responsibilities. The less honest ones, who are used to more unfair practices, will continue to benefit," he concludes.

How are you doing with your email database? If you've reached a deadlock in the run-up to GDPR coming into force that you can't deal with even now that the regulation is in place, don't hesitate to contact us. Our specialists will be happy to discuss everything with you and together we will find the best solution.