If you’re a WordPress user, you might have noticed the recent 4.9.6 update release. This is an important update in that it enables you to help make your site compliant with the European Union’s (EU) new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulations thanks to the following changes.
A New Privacy Policy Setting Admin Panel
Ideally, you already have a Privacy Policy page up and running at your website. If you do, this part is super easy to handle; all you need to do is:
- Go to Settings > Privacy.
- Select your existing Privacy Policy page from the dropdown list.
- Select Use This Page.
That’s all there is to it!
You’ll want to make sure you’ve updated your Privacy Policy and related Terms of Use language so they comply with the new GDPR standards. To that end, you’ll find an article here from 4/17/18 with additional insight on what those changes should include.
User Data
If you allow site visitors to create accounts, you’ll want to take note of the new Export Personal Data and Erase Personal Data admin panels, both of which are child menu items under Tools.
These are tied to the new requirement for allowing users to request personal data you’ve collected and/or request that their data be deleted.
If you allow comments, you’ll notice a new checkbox option for logged-out commenters on whether their name, email address, and website are saved in a cookie on their browser to make future comments faster.
Even if you don’t usually install core WordPress updates right when they are released, you’ll want to make sure you give yourself some time to get this one up and running before May 25, the date when GDPR compliance goes into effect.
