What is the difference between GDPR and the US data protection laws?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an international data security law that applies to any organization that collects personal data about European Union (EU) citizens. It requires organizations to protect the personal data of EU citizens and to provide more transparency about how their data is used. In the United States, each state has its own data privacy law. In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Data Security Regulation is the primary data security law. This law requires organizations that store personal information about Massachusetts residents to take reasonable steps to protect the information from accidental or unauthorized disclosure. It also requires organizations to provide notice to residents when their personal information is exposed in a data security incident. The regulation also requires organizations to document their information security policies and procedures. The GDPR and US state data security laws have important similarities. Both require organizations to protect personal data, provide transparency, and document policies and procedures. However, there are also key differences between the two. The GDPR applies to personal data of EU citizens, while US state laws typically apply to personal data of only the residents of that state. Additionally, the GDPR requires organizations to report data security incidents to the relevant national data protection agency within 72 hours, while most US states do not impose similar requirements. Finally, the GDPR imposes much higher fines for violations than US state data security laws.
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