Reading: Personal Data Protection

Read the text and mark the sentences TRUE or FALSE.

One of the most pressing concerns in e-commerce is the matter of privacy and data protection. With more and more consumers shopping online, many governments are unrelenting in their efforts to raise awareness of online shoppers in terms of data protection. In turn, customers have grown increasingly aware of the importance of the safety of their personal information. As a result, the pressure is now on e-commerce companies to protect the data collected from misuse.

According to the EU’s data protection policy, personal data collection is permissible only for legitimate purposes. If you gather and handle personal data, you must do so in a lawful manner. If you process personal data, you must conform to strict guidelines which outline the rules for data collection, manipulation, alteration, erasure, usage, and storage.

In addition, customers must be informed when and why you are collecting their data, who has access to it, who may amend it, and how it is being used.

Know-how is also crucial for providing reliable services. However, it is important to remember that being user-friendly is not always synonymous with safety. Even well-thought-out solutions intermittently require auditing. Furthermore, the advancement of computer technology has led to the development of illegal practices designed to obtain personal data unlawfully. While hackers and identity thieves thrive, e-commerce businesses bend over backwards to safeguard the data of their users. Therefore, you should pay attention to your intermediaries – never transfer personal data between unknown parties especially without your customers’ knowledge or consent.