Chelsea Allenby is a Digital Marketer of 9 years and Managing Director of Allenby Digital Ltd, an online marketing agency she set-up in 2015, specialising in social media and content marketing. www.chelseamarketing.co.uk
Not only can you drive business with WiFi, but you can also encourage your customers to advertise for you via the likes of Facebook and Twitter. You can learn more about your diners, and you can increase sales through tactics such as upselling.
However, all of this can quickly fall apart if your WiFi is not compliant with UK legislation. There are numerous laws you need to adhere to; otherwise you could face huge fines and severe reputational damage.
Data Retention
The Data Retention Regulations 2009 were established to detect and prevent organised crime and terrorism. So, what’s this go to do with your WiFi network?
Well, you need to make sure you retain all data and communication for a minimum of 12 months. This is applicable to all data that is processed and generated in the UK.
The law also outlines how different forms of data must be identified so they can be traced effectively. This means you will need to keep records regarding the data type, destination, time, date, and duration.
Data Protection
Next we have the Data Protection Act 1998. This act states that your restaurant must put adequate security measures in place to protect the personal data of all of those using your WiFi network.
If you breach this act, you can receive a fine up to £500,000. Also, if someone asks for the personal information you have stored about him or her, you are legally obliged to provide it in an electronic format.
Copyright Material
The Digital Economy Act 2010 enforces you to notify your subscriber of any copyright infringement. It is important to note that, if someone downloads something copyrighted on your network, you are jointly responsible.
This means you will face a hefty fine if you cannot provide a list of those using your restaurant’s WiFi network, enabling the guilty party to be traced. Of course, it is impossible to control what your users do on your WiFi network, but you need to show that you have taken steps to prevent copyright infringement. Look for a supplier offering content filtering.
Illegal Activity
Although less common, illegal activity is something you need to be concerned about, as it is one of the most severe offences. Just like the laws regarding copyright infringement, it highlights why data retention is so important.
You need to make sure all activity can be traced on your WiFi Network. Otherwise, if someone pursues an illegal activity ; such as hacking, terrorism, or child pornography, and they cannot be traced, you will find yourself in deep, deep water.
Hopefully, you have a better understanding regarding the laws that need to be adhered to concerning WiFi provision. The best approach is to locate a public WiFi provider with experience in compliance. When viewing their website, ensure the WiFi they offer is 100% compliant ; do not simply assume this is the case.
Comments
Bruce@Gadgetonic
Great post and very informative. Most of the time when we go to restaurants we usually look for wifi service because it is really convenient to have internet access all the time. With this in mind, we should also be responsible enough to know that restaurants should follow the rules relating to use of wifi. Restaurant owners should keep that in mind. This blog is really helpful, thank you for sharing this post. Have you ever encounter a restaurant before who violates those laws?