Key principles of GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data protection law that came into effect in the European Union (EU) on May 25, 2018. It aims to protect the privacy and personal data of individuals within the EU and regulates how organizations collect, store, process, and share personal data. The GDPR is designed to give individuals more control over their personal information and establish clear guidelines for organizations handling such data.

Here are the key principles of the GDPR:

1. Data Minimization: The principle of data minimization requires that organizations collect and process only the personal data that is necessary for a specific purpose. It emphasizes the importance of limiting the collection of personal data to what is directly relevant and necessary for the intended purpose. Organizations should not collect excessive or irrelevant data.
2. Purpose Limitation: The GDPR emphasizes the principle of purpose limitation, which means that personal data should only be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes. Organizations must clearly define the purpose of collecting personal data and ensure that it is not used for any other purposes that are incompatible with the original intent. If a new purpose arises, further consent may be required from the data subject.
3. Accountability: The GDPR introduces the principle of accountability, which requires organizations to be responsible and transparent in their data processing activities. Organizations are required to demonstrate compliance with the GDPR's principles and obligations. They must implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data and have processes in place to respond to data subject requests and handle data breaches effectively.

Under the GDPR, organizations must also uphold other important principles such as lawfulness, fairness, transparency, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity, and confidentiality of personal data. These principles collectively aim to ensure that personal data is processed in a lawful, ethical, and secure manner, while also giving individuals more control over their own data.

It's important to note that the GDPR applies to organizations operating within the EU, as well as those outside the EU that process personal data of individuals within the EU, making it a global standard for data protection and privacy.