On Friday 25th May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) came in to force, replacing the data protection framework that was in place under the EU Data Protection Directive.

To coincide with this, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (“GRA”) as the Data Protection Commissioner will be at the Piazza on Thursday 31st May 2018 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm to raise awareness of data protection and privacy related issues under the GDPR.

This event forms part of the GRA’s “Control Your Privacy” Campaign, whose aim is to provide different sectors of the community with information about their privacy rights, including the right to information and the right to ensure that companies are processing personal data properly.

With the emergence of new technologies that bring great benefits to society and the economy, has come an increase in the amount of information that organisations collect and process about individuals. Data protection is therefore increasingly important to ensure that organisations collect and use information securely, responsibly, and legitimately in accordance with the law. It is equally important for individuals to be aware of the risk to privacy from new technologies, as well as their rights under data protection law.

Whilst the GDPR brings about changes that reflect the increased importance of data protection in society, many of the main concepts and principles remain the same as those in the previous data protection framework. However, the GDPR introduces new elements and significant enhancements, which will require detailed consideration. The GDPR emphasises transparency, security and accountability by organisations, while at the same time standardising and strengthening the rights of European citizens to data privacy.

The Data Protection Commissioner invites the public to attend the event and engage directly with the GRA, to discuss any concerns or seek advice on any data protection or privacy related matters.