EU’s General Data Protection Regulation Now in Effect

May 30, 2018 | The Toy Association is reminding members and industry stakeholders that the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is in effect as of May 25, 2018. The new regulation replaces the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and harmonizes data privacy laws across Europe.

The following resources have been made available to members of The Toy Association. They provide helpful guidance for compliance with GDPR, as well as an overview of how the EU requirements differ from (or overlap with) the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA):

• “COPPA and GDPR Comparison: Tips for Complying with Both Regulations” is a webinar that took place in May; a recording of the session is now available online.
• The Toy Association also partnered with Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) to create a guidance document, “A Comparative Overview of Key Children’s Data Protection Principles Under COPPA and the GDPR.” It’s available to members in the Marketing to Children section of The Toy Association website.

“It’s important to understand that the GDPR doesn’t just apply to companies in the EU – and non-compliance can result in big fines,” said Ed Desmond, The Toy Association’s executive vice president of external affairs.

Members who have questions about compliance or would like more information about children’s online privacy protection may contact The Toy Association’s Ed Desmond.