SME Data Protection Services
With ever-expanding technology and online software/products - business owners and SMEs must remain mindful of data protection laws and best practices while managing their workload.
Our data protection services for SMEs offer business owners expert legal guidance and assurance, whilst also providing peace of mind.
What is data protection?
What is data protection, and why should you care about it as a business owner?
When we speak of data protection, we refer to the practices and policies put into place to safeguard personal information from corruption, compromise or loss.
Data protection is essentially about ensuring that any personal data entrusted to you (and your business) is handled responsibly, and your processes are respecting privacy and complying with laws and regulations surrounding that privacy.
Data protection involves embedding the seven legal principles of UK law:
- Lawfulness, fairness and transparency
- Purpose limitation
- Data minimisation
- Accuracy
- Storage limitation
- Integrity and confidentiality (security)
- Accountability
Why is data protection important to my business?
There are several reasons why it’s hugely important to have an expert, like our team at Farringford Legal, dealing with your data protection and data privacy.
- Data protection and privacy is crucial for maintaining the trust of customers. Having a strong data protection strategy in place is valuable for customers, and ensures your brand and business keeps an unfaltering reputation. This is particularly important for technology businesses, and digital brands and businesses - where data is transferred and exchanged much more often.
- Committing to a data protection plan not only helps your business avoid legal issues, but can also help your business avoid costly occurrences like data breaches, and legal challenges.
- Adhering to data protection and data privacy standards within your business also ensures compliance with evolving regulations. In the digital world, these regulations often require agile support and guidance (which we provide at
Data Protection for SMEs
What legislation is relation to Data Protection?
What legislation is relation to Data Protection?
What legislation is relation to Data Protection?
In the UK we are bound by The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) which replaced the Data Protection Act 1998. The DPA is the UK’s implementation of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
We are also bound by PECR or the Privacy and Electronic Communication (EU Directive) Regulations 2003
These regulations cover:
- Marketing calls, emails, texts and faxes
- Cookies (and similar technologies)
- keeping communications services secure; and
- customer privacy as regards traffic and location data, itemised billing, line identification, and director listings
UK Regulator: Information Commissioner’s Office or ICO
If you are processing personal data you must register with the ICO – there is an annual fee depending on the size and nature of the processing.
Changes in Data Protection following Brexit
What legislation is relation to Data Protection?
What legislation is relation to Data Protection?
From the 1st Jan 2021, the UK stopped being part of the EU and hence the “EU-GDPR” ceased to protect the rights and freedoms of UK Citizens regarding their personal data. The DP Brexit Regulations 2019 created the UK GHDPR and the UK DPA 2018 was updated.
The UK and the EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement agreed, from 21st January 2021:
- A commitment to high data protection standards;
- A temporary "bridging mechanism" for personal data transfers from the EU to the UK, during which time, the UK would not be treated as a third country for the purposes of personal data transfers from the EU (plus EEA countries).
- Currently in place until 27th May 2025
Meaning:
Free flow of personal data from the EU to the UK and vice versa, provided the UK's applicable data protection regime continues
Here are some of the legal services policies we can provide:
- Data protection policy
- Data privacy notice for employees, workers and contractors
- Website privacy policy
- Retention policy
Here are some of the processes and ways of working we can assist with:
- ROPAs
- DPIAs
- Managing a subject access request
- Handling a data incident/breach
- Cookie banner
- Email disclaimer
- Data mapping
- Training for employees
- Strategy creation for long-term use
- Contracts & terms
- Terms & conditions
- DPA’s
Breaching Data Protection Legislation
Enforcement notices and smaller fines are published on the ICO website “Action we’ve taken” so any company whatever the size can get caught out and be “named and shamed".
There are certain incidents that organisations need to tell the ICO about. Use this page if you are an organisation that has experienced one of the following types of incident and need to report it to the ICO:
- a personal data breach under the GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018
- a Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) security breach by a telecoms or internet service provider
- a potential breach of the NIS Directive
- a potential breach of the eIDAS Regulation.
Contact Us
Farringford Legal
Farringford House, 24 Kent Road, East Molesey
Meet Sophie, our Digital Assistant!
Ask me questions and I will answer you in real time using my knowledge of the challenges facing small business owners. For example "What is ESG?" or "What is an EOT?".
You can also ask me about our services and book a consultation.