Dataminimointi

Dataminimointi, often translated as data minimization, is a core principle in data protection and privacy frameworks, notably the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It dictates that personal data collected should be adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the purposes for which they are processed. Organizations should only collect and retain data that is strictly required to fulfill a specific, explicit, and legitimate purpose.

The principle aims to reduce the risk of data breaches and misuse by limiting the amount of personal information held by organizations. It encourages a proactive approach to data handling, where data controllers consider the necessity of data collection at the outset of any processing activity. This involves scrutinizing what data is truly needed, whether it can be anonymized or pseudonymized, and how long it needs to be stored.

Implementing dataminimointi involves several practical steps. These include conducting data audits to identify all personal data held, evaluating the purpose for which each data point was collected, and establishing retention policies to delete data once it is no longer needed. It also means avoiding the collection of excessive or sensitive data unless absolutely essential and legally justified. Transparency with data subjects about what data is collected and why is also a key component.