- Personal Data: Any information related to an identified or identifiable person, such as names, contact details, and identity numbers.
- Sensitive Data: Data that is more sensitive in nature and requires additional protection, such as data on race, religion, health, and biometric information.
- Data Subject: An individual whose personal data is being processed.
- Data Controller: The entity that determines the purposes and means of processing personal data, such as businesses or government agencies.
- Data Processor: A third party that processes personal data on behalf of the data controller, under the controller’s instructions.
- Processing: Any operation performed on personal data, including collection, recording, storage, use, modification, and sharing.
- Explicit Consent: The clear, informed, and voluntary consent given by the data subject for processing their personal data.
- Third Party: Any individual or entity that is not the data subject, data controller, or data processor but may have access to personal data, such as partners or contractors.
- Data Protection Authority (DPA): An independent authority responsible for overseeing compliance with data protection laws and ensuring individuals’ rights are upheld.
- Pseudonymization: The process of transforming personal data so that it cannot be attributed to a specific individual without additional information.
- Anonymization: The process of permanently removing identifiable information from personal data so that individuals can no longer be identified from the data.
- Data Breach: A security incident where personal data is accidentally or unlawfully accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed.
- Profiling: The automated processing of personal data to assess certain aspects of an individual’s behavior, preferences, or interests.
- Cross-border Data Transfer: The transfer of personal data from one country to another, often governed by international agreements to ensure the protection of personal data across borders.
- Data Minimization: The principle that personal data should only be collected and processed in the amount necessary for the intended purpose.