Today, compliance with data protection laws is essential for companies that handle personal data as we head into 2023. According to Statista, “Global data production, capture, copying, and consumption are all expected to rise sharply, as it reached 64.2 zettabytes in 2020. Global data generation is anticipated to increase to more than 180 zettabytes over the following five years until 2025.” With increasing data being processed and shared online, protecting individuals’ privacy has become a critical concern for many countries worldwide. To safeguard European individuals’ privacy and personal data, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced in 2018. Companies doing business within the European Union (EU) must adhere to the regulation’s stringent requirements. 

 

The article explains the General Data Protection Regulation and the key requirements for businesses to comply with GDPR in 2023. 

 

What is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

 

The European Union (EU) introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 to strengthen the protection of people’s rights to personal data privacy within the EU. The GDPR seeks to harmonize and strengthen data protection legislation in all EU member states by replacing the Data Protection Directive of 1995.

 

Irrespective of the location, every enterprise that handles or processes the personal data of EU citizens is governed by the GDPR. The law aims to protect people’s privacy and personal data by giving EU citizens more control over their data and tightening regulations for businesses that manage it.

 

Key Requirements to Comply with GDPR

 

Understanding essential requirements to comply with GDPR in 2023 is vital for businesses to gain financial benefits and maintain customer trust. The following are the crucial requirements:

 

Lawful, fair, and transparent processing

 

Processing legitimate, fair, and transparent data is one of the fundamental principles of the GDPR. This means that organizations must have a legitimate reason for processing personal data, including the data subject’s consent, a legal requirement, or a legitimate interest.

 

Limitation of purpose, data, and storage

 

The GDPR’s restriction on the use of data, purpose, and storage is another essential requirement. Personal information must only be gathered for clear, unambiguous, and legal purposes, and it cannot be processed in a way that is at odds with those purposes. Additionally, organizations must ensure that personal data is accurate, pertinent, and restricted to what is required for the processing goals. 

 

Data Protection Impact Assessment [DPIA]

 

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is also required by organizations when processing poses a significant risk to the rights and liberties of data subjects. A DPIA is a procedure for locating, evaluating, and reducing privacy risks that might impact specific people. Before processing starts, DPIAs must be carried out, and the evaluation’s findings must be recorded.

 

Privacy notice

 

Organizations must give individuals a privacy notice explaining the GDPR’s rights and how their personal data will be processed. The privacy notice must be brief, precise, straightforward, and simple. It should also be periodically examined and updated to reflect any modifications to data processing procedures. 

 

Data subject rights

 

Another crucial element of the GDPR is the data subject’s rights, including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, right to object to processing, and data portability. Enterprises must have procedures in place to react promptly to inquiries from data subjects.

 

Personal data breaches

 

A personal details breach should be reported to the rightful authority within 72 hours. Where there is a high likelihood that a violation would put the data subject’s rights and freedoms at risk, they must also be notified without undue delay.

 

Risk management & governance structure

 

To ensure organizations adhere to the GDPR, they must have a risk management and governance system. This entails taking the proper organizational and technological steps to guarantee that the design of their systems and processes adheres to data protection guidelines.

 

Record keeping process

 

Putting in place record-keeping systems is one of the essential elements for GDPR compliance. Data controllers and processors are required by Article 30 of the GDPR to keep records of processing operations. Organizations should thoroughly audit their data processing activities and develop a detailed record-keeping plan to adopt successful practices. 

 

Data protection officer

 

If their primary activities involve processing operations that necessitate extensive, routine monitoring of data subjects or if they process sensitive data on a broad scale, organizations must designate a data protection officer (DPO) who manages the company’s GDPR compliance and offers guidance on data protection-related concerns.

 

Training & awareness

 

The GDPR also includes essential obligations for training and awareness. Businesses must ensure that persons dealing with personal data have received training on the GDPR and are aware of their obligations under the law. Ensuring staff members are aware of the rights of data subjects and how to handle their requests is a necessary step in achieving data protection.

 

GDPR compliance made easy with CyberArrow

 

GDPR compliance is a legal requirement and a crucial aspect of maintaining customer trust and loyalty. CyberArrow can help you streamline the compliance process, making it easier to meet GDPR requirements. 

 

The platform automates compliance and offers ongoing security monitoring, ensuring that companies are always updated with the latest regulations. With CyberArrow, you can simplify GDPR compliance, reduce the risk of data breaches, and focus on your core business activities.

 

If you’re looking for a reliable GDPR compliance solution, look no further than the CyberArrow GRC platform. Ready to automate compliance with CyberArrow? Get a free demo today!

 

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