The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a global network of things linking physical and virtual objects through data capture and communication capabilities. It is now an essential part of our daily lives that it’s hard to imagine a routine without using these helpful tools.
Meanwhile, GDPR is a privacy and security law that sets the standards for collecting and processing personal information in the European Union and the European Economic Area. But is the GDPR applicable to IoT? Yes, it does. GDPR has requirements concerning IoT, and companies need to be fully aware of these.
Here’s how to keep up with IoT & GDPR Compliance.
What is IoT?
The Internet of Things refer to a network of objects embedded with sensors and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other systems and devices over the Internet. These devices range from typical household objects to more sophisticated tools and devices.
Thanks to IoT, we can now connect everyday objects, from baby monitors to cars, kitchen appliances and thermostats, to the internet through embedded devices. The IoT has allowed seamless communication between people, processes, and things. Increasingly affordable wireless communication and sensor technologies has made the technology accessible for many manufacturers.
Moreover, a recent innovation in technologies has made IoT even more practical. The increasing availability of cloud platforms gives businesses and consumers access to the infrastructures needed to scale up without the need to manage everything. Given the advances in analytics and machine learning, not to mention the access to vast amounts of data in the cloud, a business can easily and quickly collect insights.
With the emergence of cloud technologies, combined with machine learning and analytics, industries can now achieve a new layer of automation. And with it, cultivate new business models and revenue.
What is GDPR?
GDPR is Europe’s new data privacy and security law. Even though the law was drafted in the EU, it imposes obligations to all organisations collecting data from people based in the EU. The GDPR imposes harsh penalties against those who violate its security and privacy standards, and the penalties can go up to tens of millions of euros.
The GDPR has mandated that internet users from the EU be presented with data disclosures. In addition, it requires a website to take the necessary steps to facilitate EU consumer rights as a timely notification in case data is breached. Drafted in April 2016, the law came into full effect in May 2018.
Under the GDPR law, website visitors should be made aware of the data collected. Users must explicitly consent to such data gathering by clicking on the “agree” button. In addition, websites should promptly inform visitors of any data breach. These regulations are more stringent compared to those required in the jurisdictions where the website is based. The GDPR also mandates the assessment of the website’s data security and whether a dedicated data protection officer has to hire a staffer to carry out this function.
Information about how users can contact the data protection officer should be readily available, giving visitors the right to exercise their EU data rights. They should also be allowed to request for their data to be taken from the website, if they want to.
How to Keep Up to Date
One way to keep up to date with IoT & GDPR compliance is to take up business compliance training courses. Many training companies offer these courses online, allowing you to take the training anywhere and anytime. These courses are beneficial for organisations using IoT technologies and handling customer data.
Indeed, IoT plays a significant role in this day and age. Companies adopting IoT technologies have benefited from lower overhead costs, lesser time, and improved productivity and customer experience. Any organisation using IoT technologies should ensure they are GDPR compliant. The legislation states that companies should apply appropriate security measures when handling personal data. Therefore, companies collecting personal data should ensure that their IoT technologies have the proper security controls and comply with GDPR. For this reason, companies must keep up to date with IoT & GDPR Compliance.
GDPR applies to the entire company’s data supply chain, which includes IoT devices. Therefore, they should raise awareness of data collection among employees, clients, partners, and customers. They should be transparent about the data they collect, how, and why. In addition, they must inform customers how they protect the data from getting breached.
Hire Specialists
Companies using IoT technologies should consider hiring an IoT engineer who understands how the Internet of Things work. These professionals have the skill to create and integrate different technologies in various work environments, from manufacturing to agriculture and health care. More importantly, an IoT specialist can help the company keep up to date with the changing compliance since they are experts in this field.
Since IoT is a specialised field, hiring an IoT expert is not easy. Thankfully, there are recruitment agencies that specialise in recruiting IoT professionals. An IoT recruitment specialist understands the skills needed for this profession and will match you with well-skilled IoT experts. These recruitment companies aim to help companies develop end-to-end IoT solutions through permanent or contract IoT engineer roles.
Unlike generalist recruitment agencies with no particular speciality, recruitment specialists operate specifically in one industry, such as IT. Specialist recruitment agencies are focused on their chosen field of speciality and are familiar with the skillsets needed for this industry.
Companies need to hire the right IoT engineer with the knowledge and skills to develop innovative technologies for the company. The recruitment specialist will look for an IoT engineer with in-depth knowledge of network security and computer programming.
