📘 Quick Guides: GDPR, Schrems & Hosting Risks

GDPR Nibbler is built to help you understand complex rules in a practical, business-focused way. These short guides give you a starting point – and you can dive deeper with the Nibbler GPT any time.

1. What is GDPR in simple terms?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the EU's data protection law. It applies whenever you process personal data about people in the EU/EEA – even if your company is based elsewhere. In practice, it means you must:

• Only collect data you really need.
• Be transparent about what you do with it (e.g., in your privacy policy).
• Have a legal basis (such as consent, contract, or legitimate interest).
• Protect the data with appropriate technical and organizational measures.
• Respect user rights (access, deletion, correction, objection, etc.).

2. Why are hosting and CDNs a GDPR risk?

Hosting providers, CDNs, and DNS services often see IP addresses and traffic metadata. Under GDPR, that is usually considered personal data. If these services are in countries without an adequate level of protection, or if data is routed via such regions, this can create a compliance risk.

Typical risk factors include:

• Traffic routed through non-EU/EEA data centers.
• Vendors subject to foreign laws that may allow government access to data.
• Lack of clear Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) or unclear sub-processors.

3. Schrems, Privacy Shield & cross-border transfers

The Schrems cases (Schrems I, II, and ongoing discussions sometimes referred to as "Schrems III") focus on when EU personal data can be sent to third countries like the United States. Each ruling has tightened the requirements for international transfers and forced companies to carefully assess their vendors and data flows.

In practice, this means:

• You must know where your data actually goes (including logs, backups and CDNs).
• You often need Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and a transfer risk assessment.
• In some cases, switching to EU-based, privacy-first vendors is the safest option.

4. How GDPR Nibbler helps

GDPR Nibbler analyzes your hosting stack, DNS/CDN setup, and vendor list to highlight:

• Where personal data may leave the EU/EEA or Switzerland.
• Which vendors pose higher risk under GDPR or Schrems-related rulings.
• Practical mitigation options (configuration changes, alternative providers, or contract add-ons).

Use Nibbler as a tireless analyst: it won't replace your lawyer or DPO, but it will help you ask better questions and document your decisions.

❓ GDPR Nibbler – Frequently Asked Questions

Is GDPR Nibbler a law firm or certified legal service?

No. GDPR Nibbler is an AI-driven advisory tool. It helps you understand risks, prepare internal documentation, and structure questions for your Data Protection Officer or legal counsel. It does not replace professional legal advice and is not officially endorsed by any authority.

What kind of companies can use GDPR Nibbler?

Startups, SaaS providers, agencies, hosting providers, and larger enterprises that want a practical view of GDPR risk around hosting, CDNs, analytics, and third-party services. If you handle personal data from EU/EEA or Swiss users, Nibbler can help you reason about it.

Can GDPR Nibbler check if my hosting/CDN setup is "illegal"?

Nibbler does not give binary "legal / illegal" verdicts. Instead, it:

• Highlights typical risk patterns (e.g., routing via non-EU regions, US law exposure).
• Explains how recent rulings might affect your configuration.
• Suggests risk levels and mitigation options you can discuss with your DPO or counsel.

Does GDPR Nibbler store my inputs?

GDPR Nibbler itself runs on the OpenAI platform. For sensitive or production data, you should:

• Avoid sending full datasets or directly identifying information.
• Use abstracted examples or partial configuration details where possible.
• Treat the tool as an assistant for analysis and planning, not as a data warehouse.

For more information about how we handle data on this website, please refer to our privacy notice.

What do I need to prepare for a Hosting Risk Audit?

For the GDPR Hosting Risk Audit, it helps if you can provide:

• Your current hosting provider(s) and region(s).
• Any CDNs, DNS services, WAF or DDoS protection tools you are using.
• Key third-party tools that see user IPs or traffic (e.g. analytics, support widgets).

The more concrete your information, the more tailored the risk assessment and recommendations will be.

Can GDPR Nibbler help with DPIAs and Records of Processing?

Yes – Nibbler can help you structure:

• Risk descriptions for high-risk processing (e.g. profiling, tracking, or cross-border transfers).
• Mitigation measures you plan to implement.
• Vendor lists for your Records of Processing Activities (RoPA).

You remain responsible for the final DPIA or RoPA, but you do not have to start from a blank page.

🧩 1-Minute Hosting Risk Checklist

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I know in which country every main vendor stores or routes personal data?
2. Do I know which vendors are subject to non-EU/EEA laws that might allow broad government access?
3. Do I have signed Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with all key processors?
4. Have I documented why each international transfer is justified (e.g. SCCs, adequacy decisions)?
5. Can I explain this setup clearly to a regulator or to my users?

If you answered "I'm not sure" to any of these, open GDPR Nibbler and start a quick analysis:

🔍 Start a Hosting Risk Check with Nibbler