The European Union’s upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is leading brands and marketers to multiple confusions and making them worry.

Martech’s Barry Levine has shared fourteen misconceptions that existabout GDPR.

Levine says, “The upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is confusing enough without having to be weighed down by misconceptions.

So, here is a list of the top misconceptions about GDPR, according to two experts: Gary Southwell, VP/general manager of the cybersecurity division of security firm CSPi, and Kristina Podnar, a digital policy consultant (who also consults for us, Third Door Media).

Misconception #1: ‘Legitimate interest‘ allows marketing uses of personal data without user consent. While there is a “legitimate interest” exception in GDPR, it is always weighed against personal data rights. Podnar said a company could, for instance, utilize data without consent under legitimate interest if it were under court order to do so, or if the data were needed to protect some vital interest like human rights, or if I needed your Social Security number after you’d already agreed to buy a car. But otherwise, consent is needed, and it’s not enough that a user has agreed to receive marketing info.

Misconception #2: Small businesses are exempt. There is no exclusion under current GDPR for businesses with only a few employees. “GDPR doesn’t care” about your firm’s size, Podnar told me”.

Here are 9 misconceptions about GDPR

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