General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a crucial change in data privacy regulation, impacting businesses and individuals across the EU and beyond. Introduced on May 25, 2018, GDPR aims to provide individuals with greater control over their personal data while simplifying the regulatory environment for international businesses.
GDPR applies to all EU member states, replacing the 1995 Data Protection Directive. It necessitates the need for clear consent to process personal data and demands that organisations be transparent about how they gather, use, and store this data.
Non-compliance with GDPR can result in severe penalties. Fines can reach up to €20 million or 4% of a company’s global annual turnover for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher.
Individuals’ rights under GDPR include the right to access their personal data, to be forgotten (data erasure), to data portability, and to be informed about data breaches. They also have the right to object to the processing of their personal data for marketing purposes.
GDPR also introduces the concept of ‘privacy by design’, where data protection measures are built into systems and processes from the outset, rather than added later. Additionally, organisations must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) if they process large amounts of sensitive data.
GDPR is not just an EU issue; it affects any company dealing with EU citizens’ data, regardless of its location.
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