Georgia Personal Data Protection Act: What Atlanta Businesses Must Know
The Georgia Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is a new law designed to help protect personal information collected and stored by businesses operating in Georgia. It aims to give consumers more control over their personal data and holds companies accountable for how they collect, store, and share that information.
Why It Matters for Atlanta Businesses
Whether you’re running a law firm in Midtown or a real estate office in Buckhead, if your business collects personal data from Georgia residents, you must comply. Noncompliance could lead to fines, lawsuits, and damaged reputation.
Key Points of the Georgia PDPA
1. Consumer Rights You Must Respect
Under the PDPA, Georgia residents have the right to:
- Know what personal data you collect
- Request a copy of their personal data
- Ask you to correct or delete their data
- Opt out of data sales or profiling
2. Who Must Comply With PDPA?
Your business must comply if it:
- Controls or processes personal data of over 25,000 consumers annually
- Derives more than 50% of revenue from selling personal data
- Meets specific data processing thresholds, regardless of size
This means many small and mid-sized businesses in Atlanta are affected, especially in finance, law, real estate, and healthcare.
3. What Counts as Personal Data?
The PDPA defines personal data broadly. It includes:
- Full name
- Email address
- Social Security number
- IP addresses
- Financial or health information
- Geolocation data
If your CRM or forms collect any of this, you’re handling personal data.
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4. Data Security Requirements
You must implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, such as:
- Password protection and multi-factor authentication
- Encryption for data at rest and in transit
- Regular data backups
- Employee cybersecurity training
5. How to Handle Data Requests
You need a system to:
- Respond to consumer data access or deletion requests within 45 days
- Verify the identity of the requester
- Log and track request histories for audit purposes
Not sure how? A Managed IT provider can help automate this process.
6. Penalties for Noncompliance
- Fines up to $7,500 per violation
- Investigations by the Georgia Attorney General
- Lawsuits from consumers if their rights are violated
Steps to Ensure Compliance
Here’s how Atlanta SMBs can get ahead:
✅ Audit Your Data
- What data do you collect?
- Where is it stored?
- Who has access?
✅ Update Your Privacy Policy
- Make it easy to understand
- Include all required disclosures
✅ Train Your Employees
Teach staff how to recognize phishing, manage passwords, and report breaches
✅ Partner With a Trusted IT Provider
A Managed IT Services team like trueITpros can help you:
- Build secure systems
- Manage compliance documentation
- Monitor for suspicious activity
- Handle data requests and security incidents
Industries Most at Risk in Atlanta
If your business falls into one of these categories, PDPA should be top of mind:
- Legal practices with sensitive case files
- Real estate collecting personal buyer/seller info
- Finance & accounting managing credit and ID data
- Healthcare & veterinary storing patient records
- Consulting or insurance handling confidential business details
What Makes PDPA Different from Other Laws?
- Applies specifically to Georgia residents
- Is enforced by Georgia’s own Attorney General
- Has lower compliance thresholds, so more small businesses are affected
Even if you’re already compliant with national regulations, local laws like PDPA add another layer.
How Managed IT Helps You Stay Compliant
Hiring a Managed IT partner gives you:
- Ongoing data monitoring
- Secure cloud storage and backups
- Access control management
- 24/7 support in case of breaches
- Automated compliance tools for audits and reporting
It’s not just about checking boxes — it’s about protecting your reputation and client trust.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Many Atlanta businesses don’t realize they’re out of compliance until they receive a fine, face a breach, or lose customer trust. That’s why proactive action now saves time and money later.
📌 Quick Checklist for PDPA Readiness:
- Clear privacy policy
- Staff cybersecurity training
- Data access request system
- Secure backups and encryption
- IT partner to support compliance
Final Thoughts
The Georgia Personal Data Protection Act isn’t just legal jargon. It’s a wake-up call for small and mid-sized businesses across Atlanta. With cybercrime and data breaches on the rise, compliance is now part of good business hygiene.
To learn more about how trueITpros can help your company with Georgia’s Personal Data Protection Act compliance and Managed IT Services in Atlanta, contact us at www.trueitpros.com/contact
