Privacynaleving

Privacynaleving is the state or process of ensuring that an organization complies with privacy laws and protects personal data. It involves governance structures, risk management, data processing oversight, and ongoing accountability for how personal information is collected, stored, used, shared, and deleted. The aim is to respect individuals’ privacy rights and to minimize risks to data subjects.

Scope covers all stages of the data lifecycle and all environments where data is processed, including domestic operations and cross-border transfers, as well as sector-specific regimes such as healthcare or finance. It encompasses both the technical and organizational measures needed to protect data and to provide appropriate transparency and control to data subjects.

Key components of privacynaleving include privacy governance with defined roles (such as a data protection officer where required), data inventory and mapping, privacy policies and training, and management of notices and consent. It also emphasizes data minimization and retention scheduling, strong security controls (encryption, access management), and processes for handling data subject rights (access, correction, deletion, portability). Third-party risk management with data processing agreements, data protection impact assessments for high-risk processing, incident response, breach notification, and regular audits are also central to a robust program.

Standards and frameworks commonly referenced in privacynaleving include the EU GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act/CPRA, and the Brazilian LGPD, along with privacy management standards such as ISO/IEC 27701 and the NIST Privacy Framework. Enforcement varies by jurisdiction and may involve investigations, fines, and corrective actions, while challenges include global data transfers, evolving regulations, complex supplier networks, and the role of AI in processing personal data. Related concepts include privacy by design, DPIAs, and data processing agreements.