GDPR, or The General Data Protection Regulations, is a set of rules that controls how organizations store and use personal data. Since being introduced in 2018, GDPR has become a topic of discussion. Primarily because of how strict and incomprehensive they are. The principles of GDPR focus on the lawful processing of personal data and the data’s protection. GDPR requires businesses to protect the personal data of the users. Non-compliance with GDPR could cost companies dearly. Join us, as in this blog, we will tell you about the GDPR principles and what techniques companies use to protect your data.
The growth of their company to an international level is a remarkable accomplishment for many business owners. The GDPR, however, stands in the way of further success, as do many other stepping stones. Therefore, GDPR has one of the strictest data protection laws in the world today. If your organization can crack and understand the GDPR principles, then it will be an easy ride for you.
Seven Principles of GDPR
1. Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency
The three words in the first GDPR principles have their meanings. The output of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency combine to create the first principle of GDPR.
Lawfulness in GDPR terms refers to the collection of data with legal consent. Getting the permission of the users is the most legal and common way to collect data. Any data your business collects for its intended purpose should be managed with the user’s consent.
Fairness in GDPR terms refers to the fact that the data collected by your organization should be used for good interest. This means that the data can be used, such as to run a survey or manage the customers’ likings.
Transparency means that your organization should be transparent with the users. It would be best if you told them what, how, and why you’re processing the data.
2. Purpose limitation
This GDPR principle instructs your firm only to use the data collected for the intended purpose. Furthermore, your aim should be specified, transparent, and legitimate. In some cases where you might want to use the data for any other purpose, it is obstructed to ask for the user’s consent again. If, in any case, you are caught using the data for any other purpose, your firm will be subjected to GDPR non-compliance.
3. Data minimization
The rule of GDPR states your firm should not keep unnecessary data from lying around. Personal data is compassionate and confidential; every firm should treat it like one. Often many firms try keeping a different type of personal data lying around and do not care about it. This type of action goes strictly again GDPR principles, and doing so would account for GDPR non-compliance.
4. Accuracy
While all the other principles of GDPR state that data is short and used for the purpose intended, this principle states that the data collected should be as precise and accurate. Your firm is responsible for ensuring that they do not keep old data. In such cases, the old and useless data should be erased. Doing such is essential as it ensures your compliance with GDPR.
5. Storage limitation
This GDPR principle instructs on deleting data when it is no longer valid or required. This translates to two scenarios where the data is already used by the firm and is no longer needed. And the other scenario is where the data has been kept for too long and now has become outdated and useless. In both cases, it is your responsibility to make sure that your firm does not save on outdated and pointless data.
6. Integrity and Confidentiality
This GDPR principle focuses on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Confidentiality refers to keeping the data secure, meaning that only the authorized personnel in your firm should have access to the data. Integrity ensures that the personal data collected is precise and safe.
7. Accountability
Lastly, your organization should take responsibility for all the data they have processed up to date. This includes showing proof of compliance with GDPR principles. As many GDPR regulators are aware that an organization can verbally say that they are complying without any evidence. So, therefore, a level of accountability is now required. GDPR supervisors can ask for accountability anytime, so ensure you have one.
Data protection: Training
In today’s era, protecting data has become a top priority for individuals and organizations. The involvement of GDPR principles has already made data protection a considerable concern. As you may be aware, data, especially personal data that off customers and users, is a sensitive thing that has to be kept confidential. The responsibility regarding data protection should not be given to someone unprofessional. Only authorized and trained people should be held responsible for securing data. Therefore, you can hire professionals from a third party or train your employees by giving them GDPR awareness training. GDPR training helps shape you into a competent person who can handle data and ensure its safety. Courses like GDPR training are easy and effective ways to train an individual regarding data protection. These courses provide detailed information on the knowledge of GDPR and awareness regarding data breaches. Further topics that GDPR training covers are ‘protection of individual rights’ and ‘mitigation of risks.
Data protection techniques
· Data Encryption and Firewall
Encryption is a fundamental part of protecting personal data. This method is widely used to protect data, especially when transmitting data over the internet, and to secure stored data. The process of encryption involves converting sensitive information into a coded form, making it hard for anyone to access It without a decryption key. The decryption key is only assessable to authorized personnel. One of the critical benefits of encryption is that it offers a high level of security. If an unauthorized party breaches data, the data will be unreadable. A firewall is another form of security measure that ensures the protection and confidentiality of personal data. It helps filter network traffic and ensures that only authorized users can access or transfer data.
· Backup
Many companies have plans for backing up and recovering their data. Backing up data regularly should be a common practice for many data collection companies. Doing so ensures that the data is preserved during data loss or corruption. Backing up the data is done by creating copies and storing them separately in different files on the computer. A key benefit of backup and recovery is that it allows a firm to quickly recover from data loss, which minimizes downtime and reduces the risk of permanent data loss.
· Access control
This method only allows authorized workers in the company to access the data. This means that any average person inside the organization could not make their way through the data. In this way, different users in a company would only be able to have access to manage the data they are responsible for. One of the critical benefits of access control is that it helps create accountability within the company. A company can track and monitor who has access to what resources and who performs specific actions.
· Prioritize staff training
It is essential for a person responsible for handling data to be a professional with expertise in his work. It is important to remember that, while handling sensitive data, even the most minor carelessness can create enormous consequences. As a user’s data is sensitive and confidential, it has to be treated like one. Therefore, employers should ensure they are not employing untrained workers responsible for handling data. In such cases, employers can give their employees human focus training courses, which would educate them to become competent people for their work.
· Data erasure
An organization should not keep unnecessary data in its hands and should erase it. The GDPR principles also make it a legal requirement for businesses to erase all unwanted data from their company’s database. Doing so would only make things easier for the company, saving them from data breaches, especially for that unwanted data.
GDPR data privacy rights
Users have the following fundamental rights under the GDPR:
- Collecting data from children – Requires parental consent.
- Data portability and access – Users must be able to access their data.
- Correcting data – Users can edit their data whenever they want.
- Right to erasure – Data subjects can order the organization to delete their data whenever required.
- Decision making – The users must be aware of the data processing process and how their data is being used.
- Notification of breaches – In case of the data is breached, users have the right to be aware first, as well as the data protection authorities.
Conclusion
A firm’s great responsibility is to safeguard your personal data under GDPR regulations. By obtaining consent, using encryption, backing data, and authorized access, a business can safely protect the data of its users. Holding companies accountable for their actions and educating yourself on your rights as a data subject is essential. This blog provides information on the seven principles of GDPR and the protection techniques data companies could apply to stop their data from being breached or stolen. By working together, we can create a safer and more transparent world where personal data is treated with the respect and privacy it deserves.
