By Ludo Rubin, Director of Product Marketing Organizations experienced drastic technological reforms from 2020 onwards. Faced with the pandemic crisis and a need to socially distance, companies turned to several ad-hoc solutions to facilitate remote and hybrid work. Consumer preferences have also increasingly shifted toward a preference for mobile communications, and customer-facing workers have had to adjust. These and other contributing factors have created new complexities for mobile communication compliance. Here are some critical concerns for the year ahead.
Potential Risks Created By BYOD Policies
Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies have become increasingly popular among companies looking to provide their employees with a mobile experience. Despite the convenience, this strategy can also create potential risks for organizations in terms of security and compliance. IT Teams must consider the end-user device type and the sophistication of data protection measures. Before deploying a new mobile communication policy, they should also look for existing vulnerabilities.
Modern Encryption Protocols
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for secure communications as organizations look to protect sensitive information from malicious actors. Many companies are turning to modern encryption protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to meet this need. These technologies enable clients and servers to securely exchange data over the internet. It is essential to ensure that your communication policy accounts for these protocols and that all employees receive appropriate training on their usage.
Increasing Mobile Application Usage
Accessibility and convenience have caused a surge in the prevalence of mobile applications over the past few years. Smartphones have become the hallmarks of modern communications. As such, ensuring that any application you utilize meets your security and compliance requirements is essential. An effective communication compliance policy should include guidelines related to installing, using, and removing applications from employee devices.
Compliance With Regulatory Standards
Recordkeeping regulations are still in place and are becoming more important as regulators are more serious about enforcing them, in particular for new communication channels such as Whatsapp, iMessage, and other messaging applications. This led to several crackdowns and billions in fines against corporations suspected of violating the new rules. For example, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission raked in more than $6 billion in 2022 fines. This trend will likely continue and expand to new regions.
Increased Consumer Data Privacy Concerns
As more data is collected and shared, the risk of cybercrime has become a top concern. Consumers are increasingly wary of how companies use their data and have begun demanding more control over its use. Organizations must be more transparent and accountable while collecting data. They must also adhere to current regulations and create a firm policy that outlines how personal information is used, stored, and protected.
Here are some of the most essential data privacy laws companies should focus on:
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
Storage Concerns
Most companies have completed full or partial migrations to the cloud. These companies are storing far more in the cloud than they did in on-premise systems in the past. That’s because modern business operations generate much higher levels of data. Mobile communications and the need to archive these conversations have added to that data pile. Companies must project their storage needs and consider how recordkeeping requirements might affect them.
Technology’s Role in Compliance
The ever-evolving world of technology can leave companies feeling overwhelmed. Organizations must manage the interconnection between laws, technology, and human behavior to ensure compliance. Automation, AI, and machine learning are just some examples of the technology solutions companies will continue to rely on in 2023 to address these concerns. These and other future-proof solutions will put organizations in the best position to ensure long-term compliance.
At LeapXpert, we have spent years fine-tuning our instant message-capturing and archiving solutions to ensure worldwide compliance for our clients. By automating this aspect of a compliance communication plan, we reduce human involvement and preserve data integrity. Book your demo to see our software solution in action.
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