The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation by the European Union that came into effect on May 25, 2018. It is designed to protect the privacy of individuals in the European Union (EU) and give them control over their personal data.
The GDPR applies to all companies that process the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of where the company is based. This means that even companies outside of the EU have to comply with the GDPR if they process the personal data of EU citizens.
The GDPR defines personal data as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. This can include names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and even IP addresses.
Under the GDPR, companies are required to obtain the explicit consent of individuals before collecting, processing, or storing their personal data. This means that individuals must be informed of the purpose of the data processing and have the right to withdraw their consent at any time.
Companies must also ensure that the personal data they process is accurate, up-to-date, and only used for the purposes for which it was collected. They must also take appropriate security measures to protect the data from unauthorised access or theft.
The GDPR also gives individuals the right to access, correct, and erase their personal data. This means that individuals can request that companies delete their personal data if they no longer wish for it to be processed.
In addition to these requirements, the GDPR also mandates that companies report any data breaches to the appropriate authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach. They must also inform affected individuals if the breach is likely to result in a high risk to their rights and freedoms.
The penalties for non-compliance with the GDPR are severe, with fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s global annual revenue, whichever is higher. This has led many companies to take GDPR compliance seriously and make significant changes to their data processing practices.
In conclusion, the GDPR is a comprehensive regulation that aims to protect the privacy of individuals in the European Union. It requires companies to obtain explicit consent before collecting personal data, ensure that data is accurate and only used for the purposes for which it was collected, and take appropriate security measures to protect the data from unauthorised access. Companies must also report any data breaches and allow individuals to access, correct, and erase their personal data. The penalties for non-compliance are severe, which has led many companies to take GDPR compliance seriously.
Call one of our GDPR Specialists on 0161 850 9911 now.