Individual Rights Under GDPR That You Should Be Aware Of!

The GDPR provides several individual rights to EU citizens regarding their data, including:

Right to be informed

This right requires companies & organizations to provide individuals with clear & concise information about their data. This includes the purposes of the processing, the categories of personal data being, the recipients of the data, the retention periods for the data, & the rights of the individual about their data. Companies must provide this information in a way that is easily accessible and understandable to individuals.

Right to access

This right allows individuals to request a copy of the data that is being processed by a company or organization. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay & provide the information in a clear & easily understandable format. Individuals also have the right to request information (if they want to) about the source of the data, the purposes of the processing, & the recipients of the data. But this depends on several other factors & conditions by the company.

Right to rectification

This right allows individuals to request that any inaccurate or incomplete personal data be corrected or completed. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay & share the correct data with any third parties with the previous incorrect data.

Right to erasure

This right allows individuals to request the deletion or removal of their data in certain circumstances. For example, if the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, if the individual withdraws their consent for the processing of their data, or if the data was unlawfully processed. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay unless there are legal grounds for retaining the data.

Right to restrict processing

This right allows individuals to request that their organization not process their data in certain circumstances. For example, if the accuracy of the data is contested, if the processing is unlawful, or if the individual objects to the processing. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay. They can only process the data in limited circumstances until resolving the request.

Right to data portability

This right allows individuals to receive their personal data in a structured, commonly used, & machine-readable format, & to transmit that data to another controller. It applies only to data that is by automated means & is provided by the individual to the company or organization.

Right to object

As the name suggests, this right allows individuals to object to the processing of their data in certain circumstances. Such as when the data is for direct marketing purposes. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay & cease processing the data unless there are legitimate grounds for continuing to do so.

Right not to be subject to automated decision-making

This right provides individuals with the ability to request that decisions made about them by automated means (such as algorithms or artificial intelligence) are not based solely on automated processing. Companies must respond to these requests without undue delay & ensure that individuals can contest the decision made about them.

Why Are These Rights Important For Individuals?

Here are a few reasons why these rights are important:

• Protecting individual privacy: By giving individuals control over their data, these rights help to protect individual privacy.
• Enabling informed consent: These rights require companies and organizations to provide individuals with clear and understandable information about their data. This enables individuals to make informed decisions about whether to consent to the processing of their data.
• Promoting transparency & accountability: These rights require companies & organizations to be transparent about how they process personal data. Also, it ensures to be accountable for their use of that data. Companies must provide individuals with clear & understandable information about their data processing practices. They must respond to requests from individuals exercising their GDPR rights.
• Reducing the risk of data breaches: These rights let organizations to only process personal data that is necessary for their legitimate purposes. Also, this ensures that their data is accurate & up-to-date. This reduces the amount of personal data that companies & organizations retain, which in turn reduces the risk of data breaches.

How Organizations Can Benefit From This?

Providing individuals with their GDPR rights not only benefits the individuals themselves, but it can also bring benefits to the organizations that process their data. Here are a few ways that organizations can benefit from providing these individual rights:

• Increased trust: By providing individuals with transparency and control over their data, organizations can build trust with their customers or clients. When individuals trust an organization, they are more likely to continue to use their products or services.
• Improved reputation: Organizations that prioritize data protection & respect for individual privacy are viewed more favorably by the public. By providing individuals with their GDPR rights, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to data protection & build a positive reputation.
• Reduced risk of legal action: If organizations fail to provide individuals with their GDPR rights, they may face legal action or fines from regulatory authorities. By complying with GDPR & providing individuals with their rights, organizations can avoid the risk of legal action.
• Improved data accuracy: By providing individuals with their right to rectification, organizations can ensure that the personal data they hold is accurate and up-to-date. As a result, this can improve the quality of their data & help them to make more informed decisions.

Conclusion