GDPR: Here’s What You Need to Know for Your SMS Messaging
The effort to protect individuals’ information began way back in 1981 when the Council of Europe Convention 108 voted to make it a priority. Fast forward to 2016, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was approved by the EU to bring the concept into the modern era.
Even though the UK voted to exit the union, it’s been made clear that the UK intends to follow the GDPR. It sets the highest standards for protection and gives control to the individual over how you use their data. It’s set to take effect in May 2018.
In preparation, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has started publishing guidance on how businesses and organisations will be impacted. If you’re using SMS messaging, you’re already aware that you need permission before contacting anyone. One of the major aspects of the GDPR is the changes for obtaining consent.
Right now, there are two different opt-in options: soft and hard. It appears that the soft opt-in may not be allowed and there are additional requirements for hard opt in. Here are some of the highlights from the ICO documentation so far:
“Consent requires a positive opt-in. Don’t use pre-ticked boxes or any other method of consent by default.”
“Keep evidence of consent – who, when, how, and what you told people.”
These tie into the updated definition of consent shown here:
They sum it up as follows: “In essence, there is a greater emphasis in the GDPR on individuals having clear granular choices upfront and ongoing control over their consent. “
The Good News
The changes aren’t all bad news. It turns out that if you’re already complying well with the existing Data Protection Act, then you’re in good shape. That doesn’t mean you don’t need to take steps though.
The ICO released a twelve step checklist for organisations to use in the coming months to work towards compliance. The GDPR involves more than just consent and touches on all the gathering and processing of personal data.
Another potential positive side effect of the GDPR is that the more stringent opt-in requirements mean that you’ll have less “casual” people on your SMS lists. People need to be more deliberate in giving their permission, which means those that do may be more motivated to take action.
So whether you are running an SMS marketing list or a list for a non-profit, it means you’ll have more success. Your ROI, however you measure it, should improve.
More Information
The ICO is maintaining a webpage with links to their blog, events, and latest publications on the GDPR. You can check it for updates, or sign up for their newsletter.
Our account managers and support staff are also ready and able to address any questions about the changes too. Feel free to contact us via Live chat, email or phone.
Related Articles
Be Careful When Reading About Shortcodes and VMNs
When you start using SMS marketing, one of the first decisions you need to make is whether or not you’ll need to get replies. If you do, then you’ll need to decide between shortcodes and a virtual mobile number (VMN, also called longcode). If you don’t, then that’s alright too.
SMS Marketing Disasters – and How to Avoid Them
SMS Marketing, also known as test message marketing, is one of today's most powerful and cost efficient marketing tools when used correctly and offers endless opportunities with a little creativity added to the mix. However, whether careless or intentional, some mistakes can be harmful to your brand and reputation - as well as leaving you in legal trouble in certain circumstances. Luckily, this is extremely rare and it is easy to stay safe and make sure your SMS Marketing is an all round success. In this article, we look at come examples of how not to do things and offer our advice for ensuring your campaigns are effective and profitable.
Why you want to keep your SMS marketing database clean
SMS and the Future of Sales and Marketing
Four years ago, reputable commentators in The Guardian were wondering if SMS - short message service or text messaging - had peaked in performance after a two-decade exponential rise. Here we look at the evidence which shows that SMS is not only going strong, but continuing to stand out as an essential marketing channel for many businesses.
How important is it to run an SMS opt in campaign?
Hefty fines for companies not following opt in SMS messaging policies
Best Practices for SMS Marketing
In many of our previous posts, we have discussed the whys and hows of SMS marketing, listing the benefits, and the impacts on lead generation. There’s no doubt that by employing a marketing strategy that uses business SMS as a medium that your processes will become more efficient and your leads will become more targeted, meaning a better ROI. Here we will look at the best practices for SMS marketing to ensure your campaigns are offering the best for you and your users.
Why SMS Marketing is Superior to Email for Entrepreneurs
As an entrepreneur, it is notoriously difficult to get your message out there. It's even harder to get seen and heard in a meaningful way that doesn't offend people. Email marketing has been the darling of entrepreneurs for years, but it's time for something new. Something that supersedes the email and circumvents the spam folder.
A Demonstration on How Not to Build Your SMS List
Over the last month or so I've signed up for quite a lot of webinars. I'm always trying to learn more about technology, marketing, best practices – you get the idea. So I've been excited to see many organisations offering SMS reminders for webinars. But there is one experience I had with an SMS reminder for a webinar that I simply had to share.
![SMS Marketing GDPR Compliance [Infographic]](https://dox4euoyzny9u.cloudfront.net/images/fastsms/SMS-Marketing-GDPR.png)