What Does GDPR Stand For?

You might have heard the term GDPR thrown around a lot lately without really understanding exactly what it means. It stands for General Data Protection Regulation and is a set of regulations that dictate how companies handle user data in Europe. The GDPR was implemented by the European Union in 2018 to protect the personal data of its citizens and ensure that businesses operating within its borders abide by a certain set of rules when collecting, storing, and transferring user data. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at what GDPR stands for and what it can mean for your business.

What is GDPR?

GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation. It’s a set of regulations that member states of the European Union must implement in order to protect the privacy of digital data. The regulation is also known as EU GDPR, Reg. No 765/2016.
It replaces the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC), which was passed in 1995 and did not take into account advances in technology.

The regulation sets out strict rules about how personal data must be collected, used, and protected. It gives individuals the right to know what personal data is being collected about them, the right to have that data erased, and the right to object to its use.

The regulation applies to any company that processes or intends to process the data of individuals in the EU, regardless of whether the company is based inside or outside the EU.

The Different Types of Data Protected by GDPR

1. Personally identifiable information (PII)

This is any information that can be used to identify an individual, such as a name, address, date of birth, or Social Security number. GDPR requires businesses to take extra steps to protect this type of data from being accidentally or unlawfully collected, used, or disclosed.

2. Sensitive personal data

This encompasses a subset of PII that includes information about an individual’s race or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data (used to uniquely identify a person), health data, and sexual orientation. The GDPR prohibits the processing of this type of data unless the individual has given explicit consent.

3. Personal data relating to criminal convictions and offenses

Under GDPR, businesses are not allowed to collect or process personal data relating to criminal convictions and offenses unless it is necessary for them to do so by law. This includes both convictions and offenses that have been expunged from an individual’s record.

The Rights of GDPR Subjects

The GDPR sets out the rights of individuals with respect to their personal data. These rights are:

1. The right to be informed: you have the right to be told how your personal data will be used;
2. The right of access: you have the right to request a copy of the personal data that is held about you;
3. The right to rectification: if the personal data we hold about you is inaccurate, you have the right to ask us to correct it;
4. The right to erasure (also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’): in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data;
5. The right to restrict processing: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to stop processing your personal data;
6. The right to data portability: in certain circumstances, you have the right to ask us for a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly-used and machine-readable format so that you can transfer it to another organisation;
7. The right not to be subject to automated decision-making, including profiling: we do not make decisions about you solely by automated means – for example, using algorithms or profiling – unless we have a lawful basis for doing so and we have notified you; and
8. The right to complain if you think we are breaching your rights under GDPR: see our complaints procedure below.

The Penalties for Violating GDPR

There are severe penalties for violating GDPR, including up to 4% of a company’s global annual revenue or €20 million (whichever is greater), whichever is greater. Companies can also be fined up to 2% of their global annual revenue or €10 million (whichever is greater) for failing to comply with certain GDPR requirements, such as notifying the supervisory authority within 72 hours of a data breach.

How to Comply with GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect on May 25, 2018, and it regulates the handling of personal data by controllers and processors. In order to comply with GDPR, businesses must take steps to protect the personal data of EU citizens.

Here are some specific ways to comply with GDPR:

1. Obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting, using, or sharing their personal data.
2. Keep records of the consent you have obtained from individuals.
3. Provide individuals with clear and concise information about their rights under GDPR.
4. Allow individuals to easily exercise their rights under GDPR (e.g., request access to their personal data, request rectification of inaccurate data, etc.).
5. Put in place appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access or disclosure.
6. Cooperate with supervisory authorities in the event of a data breach or other incident involving personal data.

Conclusion

To summarize, GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and is a set of laws created by the European Union to protect individuals from the misuse of their personal data. It requires companies to be more transparent about how they use this information and gives users more control over it. By making sure that organizations are handling customer data responsibly, GDPR helps ensure that people’s privacy is respected online.