We read your recent article on new regulations for data portability with interest – the fact that gym members will be able to ask their club to transfer all their personal data to another gym when they leave, and not keep a record of this data (see HCM May 16, p54).
As a digital fitness company, any regulations affecting data processing are of great importance to us, and we’re excited about the General Data Protection Regulation. Operating across numerous European markets as we do, we’re in favour of homogeneous European data protection standards.
We’re also in favour of a data protection regime that strengthens the rights of members. Only when people feel comfortable with the handling of their personal data will they be willing to share their information. Trust is key.
Finally, the new standards affect not only end users and club members, but also eGym’s direct customers – fitness clubs. Our experience to date is that many clubs aren’t sufficiently familiar with data privacy requirements. With this new strengthening of consumer rights, health clubs will rely even more heavily on extensive consultation. That will put all enterprises providing services and products to clubs that include data processing and storage into the role of consultants.
Businesses that are able to support clubs in their obligations – for example, transferring personal data or implementing the ‘right to be forgotten’ – will finally bring the digital revolution to clubs. Because data is the currency of the new digital health and fitness experience.