'Columbia University Libraries/Information Services'
Doi
Abstract
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a major piece of EU legislation that will transform the operating landscape for any organization that handles data about EU residents. While the regulation, which goes into enforcement effect on May 25, 2018, will have the greatest impact on technology companies and advertising networks that directly monetize user data, the media companies that often depend on them for both reach and revenue will also be significantly affected by the changes it brings—both directly and indirectly.
The goal of this report is to provide an overview of the regulation and its likely impacts for news organizations and publishers with primary audiences outside the European Union. Unlike its predecessors, the GDPR applies to organizations that collect data about EU residents, whether or not that organization has a physical presence in the EU. What’s more, violations can incur fines of twenty million euros or more. Thus, while non-EU news organizations may be less likely to come under immediate scrutiny because of the GDPR, they are still subject to its provisions and will benefit from thinking strategically about many of the issues it addresses. Moreover, the GDPR is likely to cause substantial changes in the operations of both digital platform and advertising companies, the effects of which will have undeniable consequences for publishers
