General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) , Video

What Does the UK Version of GDPR Mean for Businesses?

The U.K. government recently embarked on a plan to create its own version of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, but attorney Jonathan Armstrong says he is "pretty skeptical" that this second attempt at privacy reform will successfully make it through the country's Parliament.

Armstrong wonders if a new U.K. data protection law is needed since businesses have been working within GDPR rules for five years.

"GDPR rules are still going to apply to almost everybody watching or listening to this because they'll have operations that touch the EU, or touch people based in the EU," he says. "Part of me thinks: What's the point in tinkering with this unless it's for some political drum-banging?"

He recommends that businesses "keep an eye on what's happening. Businesses have to prepare for change, although they're not certain what that change is going to be."

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Armstrong also discusses:

• What the proposed Data Protection and Digital Information Bill could mean for U.K. companies;
• How U.K. organizations can prepare to comply with the new law;
• Insights on the European Court of Justice's judgment in the long-awaited Norra Stockholm Bygg AB case, which looks at the conflicts between e-discovery and GDPR.

Armstrong, an experienced lawyer with Cordery in London, is an expert on data protection and data security law. He advises multinational companies on risk, compliance and technology.