General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Subject : International Relations

Section: Groupings

What is it?

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law enacted by the European parliament in May 2016 to lay down stringent ground rules for all entities that collect, store or use personal data belonging to residents in 28 EU countries. The law came into force on May 25 after a two-year grace period. The primary objective of the GDPR is to establish the right to privacy as one of the fundamental rights for EU residents. It requires all firms dealing with personal data to be open and transparent about what they will do with it, and to take the user’s permission before they share it. The law also requires firms to seek user consent through an explicit opt-in, or a signature on a consent form. That’s bye-bye to check-boxes that are ticked by default.