Designed to protect the privacy of European Union citizens by limiting how and where companies store data, a new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect in May 2018.

Joel Benavides, senior director at Box, a cloud content management company, announced the policy has “spurred” an array of technology companies to create regional data solos.

Benavides said to Tech Republic: “When it comes to making sure your company’s cloud data is secure and in compliance, there isn’t a one size fits all protocol.

“Each company is different by looking at the service provider, and not just taking control or certification that has been granted by a third party.

“Regulations such as the GDPR are necessary, but that regulations must have practical application.

“The way to achieve that is by having dialogue with the parties that are both going to be affected, the ones who are in charge with protecting or operationalising that regulations, and the regulators themselves who are going to be enforcing it.”

Written by Leah Alger