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EU GDPR Shunned as UK Government Announces Plans for Unique Data Laws
By Shane Addinall Oct 15, 2022 LegalityWhat weight does a new UK-specific data protection bill mean for local and international businesses serving British consumers? The government believes it is the best way forward, but many oppose the news of a scrapped GDPR.New leadership in the UK has brought everything but stability since the controversial departure of Boris Johnson. With Prime Minister Liz Truss shuffling the cabinet and announcing a list of changes, British citizens and businesses are even more uncertain than before her arrival. Among the upsetting topics to reach media sources was the possibility of a scrapped gambling reform.
The Conservative Member of Parliament and new Secretary of State, Michelle Donelan, recently announced more changes to disrupt business trading in the UK.
According to the latest MP to head the department for Digital, Culture, Media, And Sport (DCMS), the government plans to replace the current General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as enforced by the EU, with a unique UK data protection regime.
How will the change affect gambling operators in the UK and other regions?
The Spin
MP Donelan broke the news at the ongoing Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. The minister explained that leading party members and the new Prime Minister agree that the EU GDPR creates burdensome processes for UK businesses and consumers.
According to details in the announcement, the UK-specific set of data processing rules will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy. In her speech, Donelan said:
“There remains a significant amount of red tape in our way, red tape that, as a newly independent nation free of EU bureaucracy, we can tailor to fit our country’s needs. One example of this is on data.”
Talks of data protection reforms surfaced last year, and the previous government made progress with its Data Reform Bill. Nadine Norris, former DCMS secretary, explained that details of the Bill seek to minimise consumer inconvenience by lowering the number of cookie pop-ups and imposing penalties on businesses that pester people.
MP Donelan explained that by scrapping the EU laws, the government aims to lower the cost and burden of data processing on local businesses. Donelan added that the plan includes consumer privacy protection and safe keeping of data while freeing up businesses from unnecessary red tape.
Liberty at What Cost?
While the new PM of Britain and minster Donelan do their best to paint a picture of minimising red tape and pressure on local businesses, the GDPR has its place according to experts in the UK. The European Union established the GDPR in 2016, and the new law came into effect in 2018. Among other things, it aims to ensure that companies treat consumers’ data with the care it requires.
Under the regulation, companies find it difficult to mislead people through vague language, and businesses must inform visitors on their sites about the data they collect. The GDPR determines that consumers must consent to the data collection by clicking on a button – usually agreeing to cookies of some form or another. Cookies are typically small files with personal data such as site settings and preferences.
These and other points determined by the EU-wide legislation are important for smooth data sharing across UK borders, according to Alison Williams from the UK Trade and Business Commission. Williams, also head of data at DunnHumby, insists the move away from GDPR could be disastrous, especially for business owners.
For gambling operators servicing UK and EU players, this means separate data processing systems to accommodate both sets of regulations. The same applies to any cross-border business based in the UK and abroad. However, the Conservative government believes breaking away from EU rules will benefit UK businesses and save consumers the annoyance of cookie messages.
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