In today's information society, personal data and information are as valuable as oil, petroleum and all the resources we need to live a comfortable life. The flow of information that comes and goes from an individual or an institution is essential for the smooth running of things in society, and maximum security must be ensured for them. An unprotected set of data can fall into the wrong hands, especially cyber attackers, and can lead to situations where the identity of the natural or legal person is damaged.
The collection of personal data must be carried out in accordance with Law No. 190/2018 on the measures implementing European Union Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. In this case, we have prepared a complete guide on the protection of personal data.
Data protection is itself a process by which information in the digital stream is secured, while allowing the free use of data for business purposes without damaging the privacy of commercial customers or end users. Data protection refers to the protection of fundamental rights to privacy that are defined in international and regional laws and conventions.
But the process of protecting personal data is becoming increasingly complex as the number of technological devices in the company that record and process this information is increasing. Today, most of the elements we are surrounded by are digital devices that require the registration of an authentication account from customers. Therefore, protecting personal data and users' privacy rights is becoming a major challenge for both companies and policymakers.
Data protection helps reduce risks and allows a company or organization to respond quickly to cyber threats.
There are 7 key principles that underpin personal data protection:
The main obligation of the organization that wishes to process the personal data of its customers and users is to ensure the measures and/or procedures that respect the right to privacy and confidentiality of data subjects. Furthermore, the organization must implement an information plan for data subjects that informs them of the following rights:
Another type of obligation involves protecting personal data during its recording, storage and processing. Thus, the company must commit to implementing certain appropriate technical and organizational measures for maximum data security, such as encrypting information processed from customers and ensuring the integrity of processing systems and services.
Violations of the obligations and provisions listed in the General Regulation on the processing of personal data are sanctioned by a contravention. The contravention can be achieved either by a warning or by a contravention fine, depending on a series of factors: the way in which the data were processed, how many times the obligations provided were violated, the purpose for which the personal data were used, etc.
The application of contravention measures, as well as other corrective measures provided for in art. 58 of Regulation 2016/679 and Law no. 190/2018, shall be carried out by the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing in accordance with the provisions of the General Regulation of Law no. 102/2005 on the establishment, organization and functioning of the authority.
When the National Supervisory Authority finds that the business has violated the provisions of the General Regulation, it undertakes to conclude a report establishing and sanctioning the contravention, to which a remediation plan is annexed.
The GDPR or General Data Protection Regulation was designed by the European Parliament to support legislation on privacy and personal data security for individuals in the European Union. Through it, all existing companies operating in the territory of EU member states must ensure that they operate in accordance with the GDPR or risk facing significant financial penalties. Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation may require a fundamental change in organizational culture, IT infrastructure and all business processes for a company to conduct its activity legally.
The General Data Protection Regulation applies to and affects any type of business that records and processes personal information about citizens in the European Union. This data is defined as a set of information that helps to identify a specific person or community and can include: name, identification number, residential address and personal IP address. At the same time, information about the lifestyle and preferences of citizens can be extracted to identify a group of people with common aspects (specific target audience): genetic data, health condition, sexual activity, sexual orientation or gender identification, religious and political opinions, mental, physiological, economic, cultural or social identities. Basically, any information that, if not secured according to the GDPR, can put someone at risk of unlawful discrimination.
Even though the development of the General Data Protection Regulation initially seemed like an obstacle to designing marketing, communication and sales strategies – by limiting companies' access to important data about their target audience – a GDPR-compliant company can drive a successful sale without any problems.
Here are the advantages of GDPR for your business:
In order to comply with the rules and provisions put into effect by the General Regulation on the protection of personal data, call a service which will help you in the digital transformation of your company and in protecting the data flow within it.