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The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) lays out guidelines for the proper management of private data. Data is handled when it is organized, collected, stored, structured, used, consulted, combined, communicated, limited, destroyed, or erased. But how do we know the principles of data protection are followed if we do not know what they are? Read on to find out more below.

Main Guidelines of Personal Data Protection

In broad strokes, the guidelines that keep your information safe include:

  • Storage limitation: All data processing should be thoroughly justified, and a reliable deletion strategy should be implemented to avoid holding data longer than necessary;
  • Purpose limitation: Requesting personal information must be justified. Without the owners’ approval, data obtained for one purpose cannot be used for another or altered;
  • Fairness, lawfulness, and transparency: Data subjects have the right to know that their personal information is being handled in a legitimate, fair, and transparent manner;
  • Accuracy: Sensitive data must be accurate, complete, and, if necessary, updated on a timely basis. Inaccurate and outdated information must be deleted;
  • Confidentiality and integrity: Personal data must be managed using adequate techniques to protect it from unauthorized or unlawful processing and accidental loss, destruction, or damage;
  • Accountability: The controller must follow the other data protection criteria and be able to prove they have done so;
  • Data minimization: The data subject’s personal information shall be adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in light of the purposes for which it is to be processed.

The GDPR defines the Data Controller as the “natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other organization which determines the objectives and means of the processing of personal data,” and it is the Data Controller who is largely responsible for adhering to these data protection rules. The GDPR’s accountability principle necessitates that data controllers not only follow these rules but also provide evidence that they have done so.

Why Are Data Protection Principles So Crucial Today?

The General Data Protection Regulation relies heavily on these concepts. They are set forth at the beginning of the law and have an impact on the rest of the provisions. The core of the information protection system is reflected rather than absolute rules being provided.

Therefore, sound data protection practices must be based on a foundation of compliance with these fundamental principles. It is also crucial for meeting the requirements of any GDPR clause in question.

To Conclude

You now know which principles underlie the protection of user data. Given the importance placed on it in today’s society, it seems to reason that citizens will have legal protections in place to prevent their personal information from falling into the hands of corporations or even the government. Furthermore, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an all-encompassing document that might direct companies’ online data policies.

If your sensitive data has been leaked on the internet, take the necessary measures and regain control over it.

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