The impact of GDPR pre, during & post event

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This footage has been kindly captured by our friends at First Sight Media – firstsight.media

Focusing his talk on GDPR, FileOM’s co-founder, Arvi Virdee, addressed the audience at the Conference and Creativity stage at last year’s Event Tech Live.

FileOM is a data-led privacy consultancy firm specialising in event management. Virdee used his expertise to educate his audience on the laws surrounding GDPR.

Describing the lifecycle of an event, Virdee talked the audience through the implications GDPR has on each phase: pre-event, where organisers manage delegates and evaluate suppliers; during the event, where badging solutions, lead capture and scanning sessions take place; and post-event, including feedback, surveys and reporting.

Essentially, GDPR revolves around personal data. This is data that can personally identify someone, e.g. name, date-of-birth, address, workplace. Registration, sign-ups and check-ins may all require some form of personal data so organisers need to be aware of what they can and cannot do with it.

“Transparency and consent” are the “big words” surrounding GDPR, Virdee revealed. Organisers need to be transparent with the motives behind asking for certain details as well as only taking the necessary data.

Consent is equally vital. Attendees need to give consent before an organiser can use their details: this can be in the form of an ‘opt-in/opt-out’ box on a website or email. 

Virdee used Facebook as an example of how companies are accountable for a person’s personal data. A Facebook page holds personal data of a specific person and Facebook is accountable for keeping that data safe. Likewise, event organisers are accountable for the details they take from attendees.

Virdee encouraged questions from the audience to bring his talk to a close. Some of which included queries regarding ‘legitimate interest’, photographs at events and terms and conditions.

Event Tech Live is Europe’s only free-to-attend show dedicated to event technology and will return to the Old Truman Brewery on 6th-7th November 2019. To register for updates, please see here.

You can find more information about Event Tech Live at www.eventtechlive.com

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com