What is the difference between GDPR and the US data protection laws?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU-wide law that was passed in 2018 and provides specific requirements for the protection of personal data. It applies to all member countries in the European Union, and it has a significant impact on US companies that do business in Europe or have customers in Europe. In contrast, US data protection laws are specific to individual US states, so the legal requirements can vary widely. The US does not have a single unified data protection law, but rather a collection of different state laws that must be taken into consideration when collecting, storing or transferring customers’ data. GDPR has greater control and enforcement power than individual US data protection laws. For example, GDPR gives individuals the “right to be forgotten”, while most US data protection laws do not. Additionally, GDPR requires companies to pay significant fines for non-compliance with its regulations, while US data protection laws tend to have smaller fines or non-monetary penalties. Overall, GDPR is a comprehensive and enforceable system of rules that transnational companies must follow if they do business in the European Union. US data protection laws generally require companies to follow the rules of the particular state the company operates in, but do not have the same level of control or enforcement as GDPR.
Related FAQs
What is the California Shine the Light law?What is the scope of data security compliance?
What is the European Union (EU) Data Protection Directive?
What is the purpose of data minimization?
What is data masking?
What are the GDPR principles?
What is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?
How do I protect sensitive data?
What is the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)?
What is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA)?
Related Blog Posts
Top 5 Recent Developments in Data Security Law - July 31, 2023Understanding the Impact of Data Security Law on Businesses - August 7, 2023
What is the GDPR and How Does it Apply to Data Security Law? - August 14, 2023
What is the Role of the Federal Government in Regulating Data Security Laws? - August 21, 2023
Are State Data Security Laws Compliant With GDPR Regulations? - August 28, 2023