​​​​​​​What is GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)?

GDPR is a European Union (EU) law that came into effect on May 25, 2018, to protect personal data and privacy of individuals living in the EU. It gives people more control over their personal information and sets strict rules for how companies must collect, store, and use that data.

Even if a company is located outside the EU, GDPR still applies if it collects or processes data of EU citizens.

What is Personal Data?

Personal data is any information that can identify a person, such as:

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number

• Home address

• IP address

• Location data

• Health records

• Financial information

Key Principles of GDPR:

1. Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency
   – Data must be collected legally and with consent.

2. Purpose Limitation
   – Data must be collected for a specific purpose and used only for that purpose.

3. Data Minimization
   – Only necessary data should be collected.

4. Accuracy
   – Personal data must be kept up-to-date and correct.

5. Storage Limitation
   – Data must not be kept longer than needed.

6. Integrity and Confidentiality
   – Data must be protected from unauthorized access, loss, or damage.

What Rights Does GDPR Give You?

• Right to Access – You can ask what data a company has about you.

• Right to Rectification – You can ask to correct incorrect data.

• Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten) – You can ask for your data to be deleted.

• Right to Data Portability – You can request your data in a portable format.

• Right to Object – You can say no to certain uses of your data (e.g., marketing).

• Right to Restriction of Processing – You can ask companies to limit how your data is used.

What Happens If Companies Break GDPR Rules?

Companies that violate GDPR can be fined up to:

• €20 million, or

• 4% of their global annual revenue (whichever is higher)

These strict penalties encourage companies to take data protection seriously.

Why Is GDPR Important?

• It protects your privacy

• It ensures transparency in how your data is handled

• It helps prevent data misuse and identity theft

• It builds trust between users and businesses