Earlier this year there were some changes made to the Privacy Act that came into effect on the 1st December, but what does this mean for your business? All businesses have been advised to refresh their understanding of the Privacy Act. The changes made to the privacy act shows that there is an increased importance to be open and transparent with clients about how you are using their personal information.
What do you need to be aware of under the new legislation?
According to a recent Stop Press article businesses should take this opportunity to be open and transparent with consumers about where you have otained your client information and how you are using it.
For business owners, getting your privacy right for your business can help enhance your brand to your customers. With the new legislation coming out it has been recorded that in the past consumers have been worried about their personal information privacy and how businesses keep this safe.
Something to consider doing in response to these changes is to look at updating your privacy policy: If you have a full privacy policy, it will be important to conduct a review and include important changes. If your business collects minimal amounts of personal information, including privacy provisions on your website may be sufficient.
How will the personal information of New Zealanders be protected?
According to privacy.org.nz “We will be taking a more active approach in our enforcement of the law and using new powers that Parliament have given us to raise the standard of compliance with the Act. We will be able to issue compliance notices to any business that we believe is not meeting its obligations under the Act and a compliance notice can require an agency to do something that it ought to be doing, or require that the agency stop doing something which it shouldn’t be doing”
What is new principle 12?
A business may only report personal information to an agency outside New Zealand if the receiving agency has similar safeguards to those in the Privacy Act.
What happens if an organisation breaches privacy laws?
There is a $10,000 fine for any companies that don’t follow compliance.
The new privacy laws are important for companies and marketers alike to get used to so that they can comply with these changes. For more information on the upcoming privacy changes read the full Stop Press article here or go to www.privacy.org.nz. Please contact us if you have any concerns with your marketing strategies in response to privacy changes.
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