Winter recess is about to start. While we’ll all be resting, GDPR will not!

While we will all be recharging our batteries to tackle the challenges for the upcoming 2025, GDPR will not go on vacation, and will thus never be out-of-office!

Check out the following tips that the Italian Data Protection Authority has recently issued in order to avoid threats to your privacy rights during the upcoming vacations:

• Are you receiving plenty of virtual greetings and commercial offers? Be careful about them, even if apparently sent by a friend or parent: they may contain viruses, obscure links or may hide tentative of phishing. Not all presents may be welcome.
• Have you taken good family pictures that you wish to share on your social network? Don’t forget to ask consent of all depicted individuals. Is your grandpa going to provide his consent as well?
• Have you filmed your children’s Christmas pageant? Keep it for yourself! You’d need consent from all depicted individuals for publishing (including from their parents in case of minors).
• Are you wishing to download any specific Christmas-related app on your smartphone? Choose them carefully, check their issuer and the reviews. You may inadvertently be downloading the Grinch’s one!
• Are you going away for a trip? Don’t share too much information and pictures on your social media about your time off, your house and your vehicles, as it may attract thieves. Only Santa Claus shall be allowed to break in without your consent!
• Are you connecting with your hotel’s or restaurant’s Wi-Fi? Ask the staff about its security: they may not be protected enough.
• Have you bought any “smart” presents for your little nephews? Check whether they may collect any personal data from their users. In the affirmative, make sure that they will not harm them in any way possible.

Our own additional tips: rest, enjoy good food, spend time with your loved ones, and get ready for 2025! We wish you happy holidays and a healthy and successful new year.

Gitti and Partners Life Sciences Team