The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of laws that came into effect in the UK on May 25, 2018, and applies to any business that handles the personal data of individuals within the European Union (EU). This includes businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations.
Under the GDPR, businesses are required to store data in a way that is secure and protects the privacy of individuals. This includes implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
The GDPR sets out specific requirements for how businesses must handle personal data, including:
Obtaining explicit consent from individuals before collecting and processing their personal data
Ensuring that personal data is collected and processed for specific, explicitly defined purposes
Limiting the collection and processing of personal data to what is necessary for the defined purposes
Keeping personal data accurate and up-to-date
Retaining personal data for no longer than is necessary for the defined purposes
Protecting personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction
One of the key requirements of the GDPR is that businesses must implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data. This includes implementing measures such as encryption and secure storage systems.
Businesses are also required to report any data breaches to the relevant authorities and, in some cases, to the individuals whose personal data has been affected. This must be done within 72 hours of the breach being discovered.
In addition to these requirements, the GDPR also gives individuals certain rights in relation to their personal data. These include the right to access their personal data, the right to have their personal data corrected or erased if it is inaccurate or no longer necessary for the defined purposes, and the right to object to the processing of their personal data in certain circumstances.
It is important for businesses to be aware of and comply with these requirements in order to avoid fines and other penalties. The GDPR allows for fines of up to €20 million or 4% of a company's global annual revenue, whichever is greater, for non-compliance.
In summary, UK businesses have a legal obligation to store data in a way that is secure and protects the privacy of individuals, in accordance with the GDPR. This includes
implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures and complying with the rights of individuals in relation to their personal data. Failing to do so can result in significant fines and other penalties. It is important for businesses to be aware of and understand their obligations under the GDPR in order to avoid these consequences.
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