DSAR datascan redaction

When it comes to GDPR requirements and the terms used there is still a lot of confusion and concern amongst business owners.  One term that is topical at present is DSAR, but what is it?

What is a DSAR?

A DSAR is a data subject access request and it was introduced with the general data protection regulation (GDPR).  This can occur when a member of the public gets in contact with a business and requests any personal information that they are storing which relates to them.  You may think you don’t have anything if they are not a client of yours, however, personal information could include some video footage you have that features their image.

How to Deal with a DSAR

A request from a member of the public for CCTV footage can cause a panic.  This request is expected to be completed by the business within one month.   While personal data such as name, contact details etc. might be easily accessible via your CRM records, CCTV footage is slightly more complicated.

A Data Breach

As a business you need to know what personal data you have stored, where it is stored and be able to supply that if somebody requests it.  It may be simple to supply written records of personal data however CCTV footage may need some work before you can supply it.  If you supply raw unedited footage following this request, you may leave yourself wide open to being reported for a data breach.  The footage will need to be redacted to comply with regulations before supply. Blurring out somebody’s features is called redaction, and this is a slow and intensive process.  It is important that it is done correctly otherwise there could be repercussions.  Other people in the footage will need to be removed and sensitive data such as vehicle license plates and house numbers may need to be pixelated.

How to Redact CCTV Footage

Most companies will not have the knowledge or software to complete this process.  The penalties for getting it wrong are high so it is important that the process is completed by somebody with expertise.  This is also time sensitive so it must be completed in a timely professional fashion.   Don’t leave your business open to a hefty fine and bad publicity, speak to the experts at Datascan Redaction Services for advice on what to do.