What is Personal Data under GDPR?
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), personal data is defined as any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes a wide range of data points that can directly or indirectly identify someone, such as names, identification numbers, location data, or online identifiers.
Personal data can be categorized into two main types:
- Identifying Information: Includes data like names, addresses, and social security numbers.
- Special Categories of Personal Data: This refers to sensitive data that requires additional protection, such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health data, and sexual orientation.
GDPR places obligations on organizations that collect, store, and process personal data. Companies must ensure the protection of this data through various compliance measures, including obtaining consent, providing transparency, and implementing security protocols to prevent data breaches.
Understanding what constitutes personal data is critical for compliance with GDPR, as failing to protect this information can result in significant legal and financial repercussions.