What is GDPR?

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law with the goal of protecting data privacy rights of EU (European Union) citizens. If you process the personal data of EU citizens or residents, or you offer goods or services to such people, then the GDPR applies to you, even if you’re not in the EU. The GDPR says data controllers have to be able to demonstrate they are GDPR compliant. And this isn’t something you can do after the fact: If you think you are compliant with the GDPR but can’t show how, then you’re not GDPR compliant.

‍

What is the scope of GDPR?

‍

Personal data — Personal data is any information that relates to an individual who can be directly or indirectly identified. Names and email addresses are obviously personal data. Location information, ethnicity, gender, biometric data, religious beliefs, web cookies, and political opinions can also be personal data. Pseudonymous data can also fall under the definition if it’s relatively easy to ID someone from it.

‍

Data processing — Any action performed on data, whether automated or manual. These include collecting, recording, organizing, structuring, storing, using, erasing… so basically anything.

‍

Data subject — The person whose data is processed. These are your customers or website visitors.

‍

Data controller — The person who decides why and how personal data will be processed. If you’re an employee in your organization who handles data, this is you.

‍

Data processor — A third party that processes personal data on behalf of a data controller. The GDPR has special rules for these individuals and organizations.

‍

Privacy Rights of users under GDPR:

• Users have the right to be informed about their data privacy
• Users have the right to access their data and change it
• Users have the right to change their privacy preferences
• Users have the right to be be removed and forgotten from your systems
• Users have the right to object to all data collection
• Users must be presented with a Privacy Policy that follows GDPR regulations
• Users submitting data through your website must have their data processed through EU servers ****

‍

Check out the official regulation for more information.