5 Common GDPR Mistakes Businesses Make When Sharing Documents (and How to Fix Them)
Sharing business documents is a daily necessity, but are you doing it in a way that respects privacy and complies with GDPR? The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has strict rules about handling personal data, and common sharing methods often fall short, putting businesses at risk of hefty fines and reputational damage.
Many essential documents – contracts, proposals, invoices– contain personal data like names, emails, addresses, and financial details. Mishandling these can lead to serious consequences. (Understanding GDPR fundamentals)
Let's look at five common GDPR mistakes businesses make when sharing documents and how to fix them using secure practices and the right tools.
Mistake 1: Emailing sensitive documents as attachments
Attaching contracts, proposals, or HR forms directly to emails is convenient but incredibly risky from a GDPR perspective. Once sent, you lose control. Emails can be easily forwarded, intercepted on insecure networks, or stored indefinitely in recipient inboxes, violating GDPR principles like purpose limitation and storage limitation.
- The Risk: Lack of control, potential unauthorized access, data breaches.
- The Fix: Stop attaching sensitive documents directly. Instead, use secure sharing links from specialized platforms. These links provide access to the document hosted securely online, rather than sending the file itself. Look for solutions that offer end-to-end encryption and password protection options for these links. (10 GDPR principles for document handling)
Mistake 2: Using unsecured or basic cloud storage links
Sharing a link from standard cloud storage (like a public Google Drive or Dropbox link) might seem better than email attachments, but often lacks the necessary GDPR controls. Basic links may not offer password protection, expiry dates, or download prevention, failing the "Integrity and Confidentiality (Security)" principle.
- The Risk: Uncontrolled access, inability to enforce storage limits, potential for data leaks.
- The Fix: Utilize secure document sharing platforms that provide robust link settings. Essential features include:
- Password Protection: Add a password layer.
- Expiring Links: Automatically revoke access after a set period, adhering to storage limitation.
- Download Control: Prevent recipients from downloading the file, keeping it centralized and controlled.
- These features give you granular control over who accesses the document and for how long.
Mistake 3: Lack of access control and monitoring
Sharing a document link without knowing or controlling who can open it is a significant GDPR gap. Similarly, not knowing if or when someone accessed a document containing personal data fails the accountability principle.
- The Risk: Unauthorized access, inability to demonstrate compliance, lack of accountability.
- The Fix: Implement access controls and utilize viewer analytics. Choose platforms that allow you to:
- Require Email Verification: Ensure only specific individuals can access the link after verifying their email.
- Use Allow/Block Lists: Specify exactly which email addresses can or cannot view the document.
- Monitor Viewer Activity: Use built-in analytics to track who viewed the document, when, and for how long. This provides an essential audit trail for compliance.
Mistake 4: Keeping documents accessible indefinitely
GDPR's "Storage Limitation" principle means you shouldn't keep personal data longer than necessary. Leaving document links active forever, especially for completed contracts or old proposals, creates unnecessary risk.
- The Risk: Violating storage limitation, increased risk exposure over time.
- The Fix: Proactively manage link lifespan. Use tools that allow you to:
- Set Automatic Expiration Dates: Configure links to automatically deactivate after a specific date (e.g., project completion, contract termination plus legal retention period).
- Manually Revoke Access: Easily disable links when access is no longer needed.
- Regularly review active links and revoke access for documents related to concluded business. (Secure document sharing checklist)
Mistake 5: Lack of transparency about tracking (when applicable)
While tracking viewer engagement is useful, doing so without transparency can conflict with GDPR's "Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency" principle, especially if the tracking is highly detailed or used for profiling without clear disclosure or consent.
- The Risk: Non-transparent data processing, potential violation of user privacy expectations.
- The Fix: Be transparent and use tracking responsibly.
- Inform Recipients: If using detailed analytics, consider informing recipients (e.g., in your privacy notice or terms) that document access is tracked for engagement or security purposes.
- Use Compliant Platforms: Choose platforms designed with privacy in mind. Reputable providers will be GDPR compliant themselves and provide clear information on how their analytics work.
- Focus tracking on legitimate interests like confirming receipt or ensuring security, rather than intrusive monitoring.
Conclusion: Secure sharing builds trust
Avoiding these common GDPR mistakes isn't just about compliance; it's about demonstrating respect for privacy and building trust with clients, partners, and employees. By shifting away from insecure methods like email attachments and adopting secure sharing platforms with robust controls, you protect sensitive data and strengthen your business reputation.
Ready to stop making these GDPR mistakes?
Papermark is designed to help businesses share documents securely and compliantly. With features like password-protected links, expiry dates, download control, email verification, and detailed audit logs, you can avoid common pitfalls and handle personal data responsibly.