What is GDPR compliance

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the European Union’s data protection law. It governs how organizations collect, store, and process personal data, requiring businesses to protect individuals’ rights and prove accountability. GDPR compliance means building technical and organizational measures that respect privacy at every stage.

Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency: Data must be processed legally and openly.
Purpose limitation: Collect data only for specific, declared purposes.
Data minimization: Gather only what is necessary.
Accuracy: Keep data up to date and correct inaccuracies.
Storage limitation: Do not retain personal data longer than necessary.
Integrity and confidentiality: Secure data against unauthorized access or misuse.
Accountability: Be able to demonstrate compliance at all times.

Rights of Individuals

Right of access to their personal data.
Right to rectification of inaccurate information.
Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”).
Right to restrict processing.
Right to data portability.
Right to object to certain uses (e.g., marketing).
Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling.

Enforcement and Penalties

Supervisory authorities in each EU member state oversee compliance.
Fines up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Investigations consider intent, severity, mitigation, and cooperation.

Example: SaaS Company Collecting Emails

A SaaS platform that collects user emails for onboarding must state the purpose, store data securely, allow users to export or delete their accounts, and avoid keeping unused emails indefinitely.

Declare a lawful basis for every processing activity
Provide clear privacy notices to users
Implement processes for data access, deletion, and portability
Limit retention and automate secure deletion
Encrypt data and maintain strict access controls

Conclusion

GDPR compliance ensures that companies respect individual rights, minimize risks, and create transparent, secure data practices. By embedding privacy into design and daily operations, organizations not only avoid penalties but also earn the trust of their users and partners.

Create an incident response plan

What is CPRA compliance

What is GDPR compliance