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Data Protection Day 2023 

By Nikki Clark | 25 January 2023

What is Data Protection Day? 

Data Protection Day is marked annually on January 28th, to raise awareness and promote the safeguarding of personal data. It was first observed in 2007 and is also known as Data Privacy Day or Data Protection Awareness Day. Data Protection Day is an opportunity to recognise the importance of protecting personal data and to take steps to ensure that personal data is collected, processed and stored in a safe and lawful manner.  It also serves to educate people about their rights when it comes to the protection of their data and how to protect it against misuse. 

What is the GDPR and the Data Protection Act? 

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU law which determines  how personal data is processed and controlled. It gives individuals more control and rights over their personal data and gives businesses greater obligations to protect this data.  

The GDPR is retained in UK law as the UK GDPR. The key principles, rights and obligations remain the same as the GDPR but the UK has the independence to keep the framework under review. The ‘UK GDPR’ sits alongside an amended version of the Data Protection Action (DPA) 2018.  

The Data Protection Act 2018 is a UK law which defines how personal information is processed, stored, and handled. It gives individuals the right to access and control their personal data. It is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

How to mark Data Protection Day? 

Companies and individuals should take the time to review their Data Protection policies and procedures, and ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to protect personal data. This includes ensuring that all data is stored securely, that access to data is limited to only those with a legitimate need, and that data is only used for the lawful purpose for which it was intended. Companies should also take the time to educate their employees on Data Protection and make sure that they are following all necessary policies.  

What are Data Protection Principles? 

The EU and UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set out key principles which lie at the heart of Data Protection. These key principles directly and indirectly influence the other rules and obligations found throughout the legislation. Therefore, compliance with these fundamental principles of Data Protection is the first step for controllers in ensuring that they fulfil their obligations under the GDPR. The following is a brief overview of the Principles of Data Protection found in article 5 GDPR: 

1. Lawful, Fair and Transparent: Personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. This means that individuals must be given clear and understandable information about how their data is being used.  

2. Purpose Limitation: Personal data must be collected for specific, explicit and legitimate purposes, and must not be further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes.  

3. Data Minimisation: Personal data must be limited to what is necessary for the intended purpose.  

4. Accuracy: Personal data must be accurate and kept up to date.  

5. Storage Limitation: Personal data must be stored only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected.  

6. Integrity and Confidentiality: Personal data must be protected to ensure its security and confidentiality.  

7. Accountability: Those responsible for collecting and processing personal data must be able to demonstrate their compliance with the Data Protection principles. 

What role does Data Protection play within information management?

Data Protection is a key component of information management, as it helps ensure that data is properly secured, kept private, and used responsibly. Data Protection ensures that personal information is kept secure and private, and is not inappropriately accessed, used, or disclosed. It also helps to ensure that data is kept accurate and up-to-date, and is used only for its intended purpose. Data Protection is also important for companies to comply with relevant laws and regulations. 

If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us info@oasisgroup.com or click here to read more about OASIS Compliance.

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