The GDPR is the EU’s data privacy law. It sets clear rules for how organizations collect, use, share, and store personal data - and gives people strong rights over their information, no matter where a company is based if it serves EU residents.
For individuals, GDPR means control: you can see what’s held about you, fix it, take it with you, or ask for deletion. For organizations, it means accountability: be transparent, get valid consent, secure data, and prove you did.
Access & portability - get a copy of your data, often in a reusable format
Rectification & deletion - fix mistakes or request erasure in many cases
Restriction & objection - limit or stop certain processing, including marketing
Breach notices - be informed when a serious data breach puts you at risk
Have a lawful basis - consent, contract, legitimate interests, and so on
Minimize data - collect only what’s needed and keep it only as long as required
Secure by design - encryption, access controls, regular testing
Be transparent - clear privacy notices and easy opt-outs
Manage vendors - data processing agreements and due diligence
Document and respond - records of processing, DPIAs for risky activities, breach response within 72 hours
For individuals
Review privacy settings and marketing preferences
Use your access and deletion rights where it helps
Opt out of tracking you don’t want and use strong passwords + MFA
For organizations
Map personal data flows and set retention schedules
Update privacy notices and cookie banners for clarity
Enable DSAR handling - verify identity and respond on time
Train staff and test incident response regularly