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GDPR data subject rights

EU citizens' consumer privacy rights are among the strictest in the world, covered by GDPR. Read to understand GDPR data subject rights.
Read time
7 min read
Last updated
December 17, 2024
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The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, fundamentally reshapes data management for every organization conducting business with consumers in the European Union.

As a cornerstone of digital rights, GDPR serves as a blueprint for data privacy regulations worldwide, emphasizing the rights of data subjects. The law reinforces privacy for personal data collected from the EU, UK, and participating states, effectively setting precedence in cybersecurity standards. The GDPR focuses on key principles based on GDPR data subject rights. These rights empower the individual, the 'data subject,' with autonomous control over their personal data. 

Unpacking GDPR meaning

GDPR personal data refers to any information directly or indirectly identifying a natural person. As such, the term extends to names, identification numbers, location data, online identifiers, or factors specific to that person's physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity. 

The GDPR principles primarily act as operational guidelines for organizations in managing transparency, fairness, and accountability across personal data management. The principles mandate the following aspects of personal data:

- Data minimization
- Data accuracy
- Storage limitation and integrity
- Confidentiality security

These factors help organizations ensure holistic data privacy by maintaining GDPR compliance framework and safeguarding the rights of data subjects.  

GDPR data privacy protects individuals' personal data against unauthorized processing, unnecessary movements, and mishandling in intentional or accidental cases. The GDPR applies to any company handling the personal data of European residents, regardless of the company’s physical location. 

The GDPR preserves the fundamental right of individuals to control, regulate, and erase their digital footprints. Essentially, the law, in effect, provides greater trust and transparency in an individual's relationship with data controllers and processors by holding them accountable for breaches or noncompliance.

GDPR has become an international benchmark for data privacy through its comprehensive and well-structured provisions and principles. The law guides a paradigm shift towards a more robust and equitable digital world. Data compliance experts like Ketch help organizations establish and protect their precious trust with consumers in meeting the latest GDPR guidelines.

(Keep reading: GDPR compliance meaning)

GDPR rights of data subjects

Data subjects (the individuals whose personal data is being collected and processed) in the Age of the Internet have various rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that ensure the responsible handling of private information. 

These established rights give data subjects autonomy and control over their personally identifiable data in the following provisions.

Right of access

The GDPR right of access bestows consumers with the right to access their data held by companies and a clear explanation of its usage. The law ensures companies maintain transparency in data processing and enables individuals to verify the legitimacy of data use. 

Right to be informed  

Another pivotal facet of the GDPR rights of data subjects is the GDPR right to be informed. The provision requires companies to provide data subjects with information regarding data processing during data collection. The data may include the data controller's identity or the intention behind the data processing. GDPR guidelines expect entities to communicate this information clearly and accessibly. For most companies, this falls under their GDPR consent management process.

Right to object

The GDPR rights also include the right to object, where data subjects can object to having their personal data processed for direct marketing purposes, legitimate interests, or performing a task in the public interest.

The right to object gives individuals the legal power to halt or prevent processing that could result in damage or distress. 

Right to erasure

The GDPR right to be forgotten, also known as the right to erasure, enables individuals to request data deletion under certain circumstances. For instance, if the data is no longer necessary for its original purpose or an entity unlawfully processed the information. 

Rights of access and rectification 

The GDPR's right to access and the right to rectification reinforces the individual's control over their personal data. The right to access allows individuals to obtain a copy of their data for accuracy checks and verifying the lawfulness of the processing. 

Through the right to rectification, individuals can request rectification of inaccurate or irrelevant data without undue delay. 

The importance of GDPR rights

It is mandatory for companies dealing with personal data of European Union citizens to maintain compliance with these GDPR rights. According to Article 15 of the GDPR, companies must provide a copy of the requested information under the right of access, often presented electronically. 

Individual rights outlined by the GDPR create an overarching data protection framework that ultimately strengthens consumer and corporation relationships. Organizations must stay updated with these regulations to protect privacy rights while progressing toward business growth.The comprehensive infrastructure of Ketch data privacy software management provides entities with a reliable solution for navigating the latest demands and changes in the compliance landscape.  

Data privacy compliance GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation functions as a reliable legislation enacted by the European Union (EU) to guarantee the privacy and protection of personal data of its citizens. 

The law clearly outlines specific GDPR data subject rights and mandates a data privacy compliance framework for organizations and enterprises physically within and outside the  European Union. GDPR’s data subject rights refer to the rights of individuals, also known as ‘data subjects,’ to access, control, and decide the handling of personal data. 

Data subject rights GDPR has various requirements for organizational adherence. These rights place specific responsibilities on the entities that process personal data. Data protection GDPR rights encompass the following eight components:  

1. The right to be informed: Data subjects should receive notification when a company collects their data. 
2. The right to access: Data subjects have the power to access their personal information freely. 
3. The right to rectification:  GDPR enables data subjects to amend their data if it contains inaccurate or incomplete information. 
4. The right to erasure: Also known as the right to be forgotten, the right empowers data subjects to request the deletion of their data under specific circumstances. 
5. The right to restrict processing.  The provision allows data subjects to limit the usage of their personal data. 
6. The right to data portability: Data subjects can request personal data they have provided to a controller in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. 
7. The right to object: GDPR enables data subjects to reject data processing based on certain grounds. 
8. The right to automated decision-making and profiling:  Data subjects can reject having their personal data processed by automated methods.  

GDPR compliance requirements and adherence to the rights of data subjects are crucial in an organization's approach to data privacy. It requires companies to take proactive measures to safeguard processed personal data. Ketch, a data privacy software management solution, is widely used by businesses to simplify their compliance journey. Ketch offers a coordinated set of applications, infrastructure, and APIs that assist organizations in navigating the complexities of data privacy compliance, including GDPR. 

Doing so helps with the responsible gathering of data for enhanced customer engagement and growth while avoiding the compromise of data subject rights. Your GDPR compliance checklist should include deeply understanding data subject rights and how they apply to your organization's processing activities. The process often involves revising and updating data protection policies, processes, and procedures to meet compliance requirements. Entities should implement adequate technical and organizational measures to limit data processing to required information. 

Data privacy in the modern age requires close compliance with GDPR to protect data subject rights. An intuitive solution like Ketch simplifies the complex journey. By leveraging Ketch, your company can streamline adequate measures to uphold data protection for optimized customer trust and business growth, a major advantage in the connected landscape.

GDPR compliance framework

The General Data Protection Regulation is a comprehensive data protection framework legislated by the EU that governs the privacy rights of EU citizens. These rules have gradually set a global standard for data privacy rights and compliance. 

The law safeguards data subjects, with GDPR compliance widely recognized as a legal requirement constituting contemporary business practices' ethical cornerstone. The compliance includes how businesses obtain, store, manage, and implement personal data. Data protection under GDPR sets forth an obligation to safeguard and restrict access to consumer data. 

According to this guideline, businesses must implement strict data protection protocols that prevent unauthorized entities from accessing user data. The GDPR also emphasizes the necessity of a reliable data recovery mechanism, especially in a security breach or data loss incident. Organizations can leverage this aspect of GDPR data protection to maintain consumer trust and ensure business continuity. 

GDPR compliance frameworks, like those offered by Ketch, provide businesses with practical guidance and insights to comply with the latest regulatory updates. 

Ketch’s suite of applications, infrastructure, and APIs streamline privacy operations, effectively reducing costs and complexity. The solution functions by converting responsibly gathered data into profound consumer engagement, driving top-line growth for businesses. Also, it is important to note that not all personal data fall within GDPR's jurisdiction. The law excludes specific data categories from being classified as 'personal data.' 

As such, GDPR protection excludes certain types of information, such as anonymized, aggregated, or non-identifiable data. Essentially, the exact definition of what is not personal data under GDPR is subject to interpretation, and businesses should exercise caution when processing any private data. Consent management is another crucial aspect of GDPR compliance, referring to the practices and systems businesses apply to requesting, obtaining, recording, and managing the consent of data subjects. 

A comprehensive GDPR consent management framework ensures the smooth delivery of given consent in a specific, informed, and unambiguous manner. The framework should also include mechanisms that empower data subjects to withdraw their consent, which fulfills GDPR rights conveniently. While navigating GDPR compliance might prove challenging, businesses can overcome these difficulties by establishing a robust framework that reinforces consumer trust while facilitating business growth. 

Contact us today to discover a data privacy software management platform that constantly aligns your data processing privacy practices with legal compliance like the GDPR.  

Read time
7 min read
Published
May 15, 2023
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