Member Article

Lost in translation - data threat as critical as loss of context with automatic translations

As a nation, the British are not famed for our language skills as we travel abroad on our summer holidays. Some of us try our best, others get by with the odd stock phrase, whilst others see no need, when so many of our European neighbours speak such excellent English.

The lack of language skills has even been noted at degree level, with a slump in the number of students applying to study foreign language degree courses according to an analysis of Ucas data carried out by the Press Association.

For many tourists, the problem is eased with the ever-increasing number of online translation services available at the touch of a button. However, global translations services specialists EVS Translations is warning businesses to consider the full implications of this in a business context.

EVS Translations is a single-source solution for all language requirements, ranging from document translation to website localization and multi-lingual SEO, software localization, multimedia localization, interpreting and desktop publishing solutions.

‘This is about risk,’ explains Edward Vick, CEO at EVS Translations.

’As individuals, it is fantastic to be able to keep up with a conversation, quickly understand a menu or even to translate online newspapers or magazines totally free. It is hugely liberating.

’However, as businesses, we need to remember the old adage, ’‘if you are not paying for the product, you are the product’’. Your data is the product here. That is fine if you are just trying to understand something at a high level but consider what you or your colleagues may be sending out of your organisation through the open source solutions. Away from translations, WhatsApp has started charging business users and we welcome the extra layer of security and peace of mind that this brings.

‘This isn’t just about unfortunate machine mistranslations causing embarrassment or damage to brand equity, we’re talking about where your data is going, where it is stored. Consider this with major translation projects covering thousands of pages for a corporation, perhaps in a legal case or financing deal.

‘The more variables there are in the process, the more translators being used outside of your business or your service provider’s organisation, the bigger the risk to data security, nevermind accuracy. Imagine the impact of a breach ahead of a major investment which leaks whilst a brochure or prospectus is being produced and translated. EVS Translations uses in-house translators, DTP and Translation Engineering so that the clients can be sure that the data is only in one hand. Indeed, our advice is that when it comes to translations for your business, stick with the professionals to avoid any nasty surprises or embarrassing situations.’

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Laura Jones .