Are the software, online tools and apps you’re using safe?

When using software, online tools and apps which will have access to personal data, it’s important they meet the privacy rights of our community to avoid a data breach.

It’s a legal requirement of the UK GDPR to show accountability and document the data protection measures in place. So, at the MS Society, we carry out security and other due diligence checks on the software, online tools and apps that staff and volunteers use. For example, WhatsApp or the apps available within Microsoft Office 365.

We need to have the necessary licences and agreements in place with a software or app supplier to cover the security for the type of processing we’ll be doing, and our expectations of their treatment of personal data.

How do I know if an app, tool or software service meets our security checks?

When we provide or recommend software services, apps or other online tools for groups to use, you can rest assured that all necessary checks have already been completed.

Using Microsoft Office 365

If you’re using the online version of Microsoft Office 365, the standard apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with OneDrive and Forms, have been checked and approved for use.

There should be little need to use the other Microsoft apps available but if you’d like to, please check with us before you do so by contacting the Volunteer Support Team.

Next steps

Any software, online tools or apps which aren’t already provided or recommended by the MS Society will need to have their privacy standards checked.

We’ll also check to see if we already have a licence or agreement in place with a supplier that offers something similar, which we know has been configured correctly and can be extended for group use.

If a free option doesn’t meet our privacy standards, we’ll suggest a more secure paid alternative for your group to consider.

Please contact the Volunteer Support Team by calling 0300 500 8084 (select option #3) or by emailing [email protected] if you’d like to check any software, apps or online tools meet our privacy standards.