Brussels chiefs plot GDPR consumer marketing blitz

Businesses have yet another reasons to get in shape for EU General Data Protection Regulation after Brussels revealed it is planning to launch a “massive” marketing campaign across the EU to tell consumers about the new regime, amid fears that they are being kept in the dark about the changes.
EU justice commissioner Věra Jourová also wants individual EU regulators – including the UK Information Commissioner – to teach consumers how to complain and what their rights are.
Jourová said: “I will launch a massive information campaign by January at the latest. It should tell people about the new rights that the data protection reform brings to them.
“I do not want people to be paranoid. I just want them to know who is handling their data and what he or she will do with their data. I want people to give really conscious consent that can be withdrawn if they so wish.”
There will be fears, however, that the move could play into the hands of compensation lawyers. Some experts have already predicted that payouts under GDPR could dwarf the estimated £30bn bill for PPI misselling.
Irish Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon warned in March that the new EU data laws will trigger a tsunami of consumer lawsuits, over anything from past data breaches to incorrect data which has prevented a customer getting credit or even employment.