GDPR (EU)

GDPR (EU) stands for General Data Protection Regulation, which is a regulation introduced by the European Union to enhance the protection and privacy of personal data for individuals within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). The regulation aims to give individuals more control over their personal data and how it’s collected, stored, and used by organizations.

Key aspects of the GDPR include:

1. Personal Data Protection: The GDPR defines personal data as any information that relates to an identifiable individual (e.g., name, email, IP address, location data). It requires organizations to protect such data and use it responsibly.

2. Consent and Transparency: Organizations must obtain clear and explicit consent from individuals before collecting or processing their personal data. They must also inform individuals about how their data will be used.

3. Data Subject Rights: GDPR provides individuals with several rights, such as:

   • Right to Access: Individuals can request access to their personal data and obtain information on how it is processed.
   • Right to Rectification: Individuals can request correction of inaccurate data.
   • Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Individuals can request that their personal data be deleted, under certain conditions.
   • Right to Restriction of Processing: Individuals can limit the processing of their data in some circumstances.
   • Right to Data Portability: Individuals can request their data to be transferred to another service provider in a machine-readable format.
   • Right to Object: Individuals can object to certain types of data processing, including for marketing purposes.

4. Data Breach Notifications: In the event of a data breach, organizations are required to notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours, and in some cases, affected individuals must also be informed.

5. Accountability and Compliance: Organizations must ensure compliance with GDPR, conduct regular data protection impact assessments (DPIAs), and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to safeguard personal data.

6. Penalties: Non-compliance with the GDPR can result in significant fines—up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s global annual turnover, whichever is higher.

The GDPR has had a global impact, as it applies not only to organizations within the EU but also to those outside the EU if they process the personal data of EU residents. It is one of the most stringent data protection regulations globally and aims to standardize data privacy laws across Europe while ensuring the protection of personal information in an increasingly digital world.