What is GDPR?

The UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a data protection regulation that governs how personal data is processed and protected in the United Kingdom (UK). It is closely aligned with the EU GDPR (European Union General Data Protection Regulation), which is a broader regulation applicable to all EU member states and any organisation worldwide that processes the personal data of EU residents.

The UK GDPR was introduced to ensure that the UK continued to have strong data protection laws after its departure from the European Union. It came into effect on January 31, 2020, following the UK's exit from the EU. The UK GDPR includes many of the same principles and provisions as the EU GDPR, but it also has some specific provisions tailored to the UK's legal and regulatory framework.

Key aspects of the UK GDPR include:

• -Data Protection Principles: Like the EU GDPR, the UK GDPR outlines key principles for the lawful processing of personal data. These principles include lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, and integrity and confidentiality.

• -Data Subject Rights: It grants individuals various rights over their personal data, such as the right to access, rectify, erase, and restrict the processing of their data. It also includes rights related to data portability and objecting to certain types of processing.

• -Accountability and Governance: The UK GDPR places a strong emphasis on accountability and requires organisations to implement measures to demonstrate compliance. This includes appointing Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in certain cases and conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk data processing activities.

• -Data Transfers: It provides mechanisms for the lawful transfer of personal data between the UK and other countries, including EU member states, through the use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and other safeguards.

• -International Data Protection: The UK GDPR allows the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to cooperate with data protection authorities in other countries and participate in international discussions on data protection matters.

• -Penalties and Enforcement: It includes provisions for the imposition of fines and penalties for non-compliance, with fines being determined based on the severity of the breach and the organisation's level of responsibility.