Microsoft claims to be first to offer GDPR compliance

Microsoft is aiming to steal a march on its rivals operating in the £23bn cloud storage market by pledging that all companies which sign up to its services will automatically comply with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The company has set out three commitments which are being written into contracts for make firms automatically compliant. These will include a pledge to help companies respond to any requests to correct, amend or delete personal data; detect and report data breaches; and demonstrate each company’s compliance with the GDPR.
Microsoft corporate vice president and deputy general counsel Rich Sauer said the firm has introduced the scheme to ensure companies that they can operate safe in the knowledge Microsoft has their best interests in mind, and that they will be fully supported should the UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, or any other authority investigate whether they comply.
Sauer claimed: “Microsoft is the first global cloud services provider to publicly offer you these contractual commitments. We believe privacy is a fundamental right.
“GDPR is an important step forward to further clarify and enable individual privacy rights and [we] look forward to sharing additional updates how we can help you comply with this new regulation and, in the process, advance personal privacy protections.”
Microsoft has already released in-depth guidance for its customers to ensure they are well-prepared for the changes coming into force in the UK on 25 May 2018.
Not only does it include general information about what the GDPR means, it also includes information that relates to Microsoft’s specific services including Azure and Office 365, Windows and Windows Server.
According to a study by Research & Markets, the cloud storage market will be worth $74.9bn (£58.3bn) by 2021, at a compound annual growth rate of 25.8% during the period.