General Data Protection Regulation

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General Data Protection Regulation

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced in 2018, is an EU regulation that aims to protect the fundamental right of EU citizens to the protection of their personal data. It harmonizes data protection laws within the EU and provides a comprehensive framework for the collection, storage, and use of personal data.

General Data Protection Regulation

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive legal framework that regulates the collection, Processing, and storage of personal data of individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It came into effect on May 25, 2018, replacing the EU Data Protection Directive of 1995.

Definition

The GDPR defines personal data as “any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (“data subject”).” This includes names, addresses, email addresses, IP addresses, and any other information that can be used to identify an individual. The GDPR aims to protect individuals’ privacy and fundamental rights by ensuring Transparency, accountability, and control over their personal data.

Applications

The GDPR has wide-ranging applications in technology, including:

  • Data privacy and protection: It regulates how organizations collect, process, store, and transfer personal data, ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect it from unauthorized Access, use, or disclosure.
  • Consent and transparency: Individuals must provide explicit consent before their personal data is processed, and organizations must provide clear and accessible information about how their data will be used.
  • Data subject rights: Individuals have various rights under the GDPR, including the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, and object to the processing of their personal data.
  • Compliance and enforcement: Organizations that process personal data must comply with the GDPR’s requirements, or face significant fines and penalties.

History

The GDPR has its roots in the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (Convention 108), adopted by the Council of Europe in 1981. It was subsequently revised by the EU Data Protection Directive in 1995.

However, with the rapid advancement of technology and the increasing digitization of personal data, the existing data protection framework became outdated. In 2012, the European Commission proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s data protection laws, resulting in the development of the GDPR.