There has been a short delay for the introduction of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which were due to come into effect on 31st October 2003. Although it now appears likely that Business to Business direct marketing activities will now be subjected to less strict regulations, there is no let up on the pressure in the Business to Consumer environment. The new date for introduction will be 11th December, 2003 and by that time you must be handling your data in such a way that you will not fall foul of these regulations nor the existing Data Protection rules.
The new regulations mean that information held by you can no longer be used for direct marketing activities unless you have obtained the explicit consent of the individual involved. Consequently, it is imperative that businesses retain control of their information and the consent that they have to use it. Your company should always be able to show a valid reason for retention. Furthermore, individuals now have the right to seek compensation for any damage or distress a businesses non-compliance may cause. Remember, if you e-mail someone who has not agreed to receive e-mails from you in advance of it being sent, then you could be sued and/or charged.
Essex-based Probit-e Limited recently launched CypherBaseTM, a software tool which will automate the time-consuming and otherwise costly process of validating and managing your CV database. At just 495 VAT per copy, which manages up to 50,000 CVís, you can be well on the way to being compliant with this section of the Data Protection Act.
For more information on CypherBaseTM, call 0870 7490028.
Pressure remains on recruiters and CV handling as new privacy regulations are delayed
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