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Let’s talk about GDPR: First off, we are not lawyers.

Questions:

  • What is GDPR?
    • General Data Protection Regulation
  • Why do authors need to care about it? Isn’t it just European companies that need to worry about this?
    • The law “applies” to Americans companies.
  • Can they take care of this issue by themselves?
    • If you are an indie author in the US, I can’t see the EU going after you, even if you are in clear violation.
  • Does this law really apply to Americans?
    • Sorta.
    • Remember, we conquered Europe in the last war. We still have troops occupying countries like Germany and the UK. EU law doesn’t apply to American citizens unless the US government allows it to.
    • Must enter the judgment in an American court
    • No treaty to make this easy for the EU to do.
    • No GDPR court precedent for the EU to fall back on.


That said… most of the GDPR guidelines are good guidelines regardless.

What American Authors Should Do

  • Add a privacy policy to your website.
  • Make sure that consent is very clear:
    • Tell people they are getting your email newsletter in addition to the ebook
    • Don’t have checkboxes pre-checked.
    • Use double opt-in all the time.
    • Be very clear to disclose affiliate links.
  • Update to the most recent version of WordPress and all your other plugins.
  • If someone from the EU asks you to delete your records of them, you need to do that.
  • What happens if they don’t take care of it by the May 25th deadline?

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Full disclosure: They pay us for this placement.

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