What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive framework designed to protect the personal data of citizens residing in the European Union (EU) member states. The regulation aims to empower individuals by granting them control over their personal information and imposing strict requirements on organizations that handle such data.

Under the GDPR, companies must demonstrate that they have a lawful basis for collecting, processing, and storing personal data, and must clearly communicate the purposes for which the data will be used. The regulation also requires companies to obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting, processing, or storing their data, and to delete the data once it is no longer needed.

In addition to these data protection obligations, the GDPR also establishes several rights for individuals, including the right to access their data, the right to request the deletion of their data, and the right to rectify inaccuracies in their data. Organizations must be able to demonstrate their compliance with the GDPR, and non-compliance can result in significant financial penalties.

Primary Criterias for GDPR Compliance Obligation

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) lays out several primary criteria for organizations to meet in order to comply with their obligations under the regulation. These include:

• Lawful basis for processing: Organizations must have a lawful basis for collecting, processing, and storing personal data, such as consent from the individual, a contractual obligation, or a legitimate interest.
• Purpose limitation: Companies must clearly state the purpose for which they will handle personal data, and they must limit their use of the data to only what is necessary to achieve that purpose.
• Data minimization : Organizations must only collect, process, and store the minimum amount of personal data necessary to meet their stated purpose.
• Accuracy: Companies must ensure that the personal data they collect and process is accurate and up-to-date, and must take appropriate measures to rectify any inaccuracies.
• Storage limitation: Companies must only retain personal data for as long as is necessary to meet their stated purpose, after which it must be deleted or otherwise disposed of.
• Data security: Organizations must implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the personal data they collect and process from unauthorized access, misuse, and theft.
• Data breaches: Companies must have procedures in place to detect, report, and respond to data breaches, and must inform individuals whose personal data has been affected by a breach.
• Data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) : Organizations must carry out DPIAs to identify and assess the privacy risks posed by their processing activities, and must take appropriate measures to mitigate these risks.
• Appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO) : Some organizations may be required to appoint a DPO to advise on their compliance with the GDPR and to serve as a point of contact for data protection issues.

These are some of the primary criteria that organizations must meet in order to comply with the obligations set out in the GDPR.

GDPR Requirements

There are GDPR requirements that apply to every member state of the European Union, which aims to provide more consistent protection of consumer and personal data among EU countries. Some of GDPR's main privacy and data protection requirements are:

• Explain data processing using clear and plain language: The GDPR requires that the manner in which data is processed is explained using language that is clear and easy to understand, so that data subjects are aware of how their data is being used.
• Allow data owners to request access to information about data processing activities : Data owners have the right to access information about the data processing activities carried out by data controllers. This includes the types of data being processed, the purposes of processing, and the recipients of the data.
• Respond to data owners' requests to delete information: Data owners have the right to have their personal data deleted in certain circumstances. Data controllers are required to respond to such requests and delete the data, unless there is a lawful reason for retaining it.
• Obtain data subjects' consent for data processing: Data processing can only occur if the data subject has given their consent for the processing to take place. This consent must be informed and specific, and data subjects must be able to withdraw their consent at any time.
• Anonymize collected data to protect privacy: To protect privacy, data controllers may anonymize data that they have collected, so that it can no longer be linked to a specific individual. This makes it possible to use the data for certain purposes, while still preserving privacy.
• Securely transfer data beyond borders: When transferring personal data outside of the European Union, data controllers must ensure that the data is transferred in a secure manner, and that the recipient country provides an adequate level of protection for personal data.
• Appoint a Data Protection Officer for GDPR compliance (for certain companies) : Certain companies, based on the type of data they process and the size of their operations, may be required to appoint a Data Protection Officer

Steps to Ensure GDPR Compliance

• Awareness: Ensure that all employees are aware of GDPR regulations and their responsibilities.
• Data Inventory: Create a comprehensive inventory of all the personal data you process, including the purpose of processing and who has access to it.
• Data protection impact assessments: Conduct risk assessments to identify potential risks to individuals’ rights and freedoms.
• Privacy policies: Update your privacy policies to reflect GDPR requirements and make them easily accessible to data subjects.
• Obtain explicit consent: Ensure that consent for data processing is obtained explicitly from data subjects.
• Data breach response plan: Create a data breach response plan and ensure that all employees are aware of it.
• Data protection by design and default: Adopt privacy-by-design principles and ensure that privacy is integrated into all processing activities from the outset.
• Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO): Appoint a DPO if required and ensure that they have the necessary resources to carry out their role.
• International data transfers: Put in place appropriate safeguards for transferring personal data outside the EEA.lar review: Regularly review and update your GDPR compliance measures to ensure they remain effective.