Translation of data privacy statements
Translation of data privacy statements
On 25/05/2018, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. This regulation has significant implications for the handling of personal data of EU citizens, particularly on the internet. Under the GDPR, every website operator within the European Union is required to have a data privacy statement. Data privacy statements inform visitors about the purpose of storing and processing their personal data through cookies or contact forms. Furthermore, data privacy statements contain information on the disclosure of personal information to third parties, the legal basis for this processing of data and the rights of affected EU citizens. However, website operators are often unsure whether their data privacy statement needs to be available in multiple languages.
Doing so requires the services of a professional translation agency as translating data privacy statements and other documents on data protection - whether into English, Russian, Farsi or Chinese - involves many important considerations.
When must a data privacy statement be translated into other languages?
A data privacy statement only has to be available in other languages if the target audience addressed by the website speaks these languages. If, for instance, a website from Germany addresses only German users, no translation of its data privacy statement into other languages is required. But if that website is also intended for users from Spain, France or other EU countries and the website exists in the respective national languages, the privacy policy must also be translated into those languages. This multilingual approach is required to ensure transparency and legal compliance according to the GDPR.
Why is a professional translator the best option for translating data privacy statements?
The correct and precise translation of data privacy statements is essential to meet the legal requirements of the GDPR. Only professional translators who are familiar with the legal requirements and specialized terminology can ensure that the content in the target language is as accurate and clear as in the original. Using simple, free translation software, on the other hand, typically leads to inadequate or incorrect translations of inferior quality that fail to meet the standards of the GDPR. Similarly, using translation templates from the internet for data privacy statements is not advisable. There is a risk that certain information, which must be included in individual data privacy statements, may be missing from these templates, leading to gaps in the translation. This incomplete translation could result in a violation of the GDPR and potentially result in heavy fines.
What other types of documents on data protection need to be translated apart from data privacy statements?
In addition to data protection statements, other important data protection-related documents like non-disclosure agreements and customer protection agreements need to be translated. These documents must also be translated into the languages of the affected target groups to ensure that the protection of personal data is guaranteed across all markets.
Our recommendation for the translation of your data protection documents
Are you in need of multi-lingual versions of your data privacy agreement, non-disclosure agreement or customer protection agreement? At AP Fachübersetzungen, a translation and interpretation agency based in Nuremberg, we will gladly provide you with professional translations. For many years, we have employed reliable, certified and native-language specialist translators who know not only the data protection regulations of the countries in question, but also the GDPR standards in detail. This way, not only your customers can be assured in the legal certainty of your data protection documents, but you as well.
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