At first glance, it might not be clear why a DPIA or Data Protection Impact Assessment must be conducted. These assessments ensure that all data processing activities are conducted securely with minimal impact on the privacy of individuals.

While it might be easy to overlook such requirements, GDPR mandates that all data controllers must conduct DPIAs in accordance with the guidelines set within the GDPR guidelines on DPIA.

While organizations may treat personal data with care, they might not understand the extent of the data being collected within its many processes. This is where DPIAs help organizations methodically analyze all business processes to determine any deviations that may be considered violations within the GDPR.

What is a DPIA?

According to the GDPR a DPIA is:

A process designed to describe the processing, assess its necessity and proportionality and help manage the risks to the rights and freedoms of natural persons resulting from the processing of personal data4 by assessing them and determining the measures to address them.

This means that this assessment is aimed at building and maintaining compliance with the GDPR while making the data controller accountable for implementing appropriate controls and measures to ensure compliance with the regulation.

GDPR Requirements

The regulation mentions specifics for considering conducting a DPIA as well as a process guideline on conducting an effective DPIA.

Organizations Must Conduct A DPIA If:

  • Use systematic and thorough profiling or automated decision-making to make significant decisions about people
  • Process special category data or criminal offense data on a large scale
  • Systematically monitor a publicly accessible place on a broad scale
  • Use innovative technologies
  • Use profiling, automated decision-making, or special category data to help make decisions on someone’s access to a service, opportunity, or benefit
  • Carry out profiling on a broad scale
  • Process biometric or genetic data
  • Combine, compare, or match data from multiple sources
  • Process personal data without providing a privacy notice directly to the individual
  • Process personal data in a way that involves tracking individuals’ online or offline location or behavior
  • Process children’s personal data for profiling automated decision-making or marketing purposes, or offer online services directly to them
  • Process personal data, which could result in a risk of physical harm in the event of a security breach.

Data Peace Of Mind

PVML provides a secure foundation that allows you to push the boundaries.

Book a Demo
PVML

DPIA Process Must:

  • Describe the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing;
  • Ask any data processors to help understand and document their processing activities and identify any associated risks;
  • Consider how best to consult individuals (or their representatives) and other relevant stakeholders;
  • Ask for the advice of the data protection officer
  • Check that the processing is necessary for and proportionate to the purposes, and describe how we will ensure data protection compliance
  • Conduct an objective assessment of the likelihood and severity of any risks to individuals’ rights and interests;
  • Identify measures you can put in place to eliminate or reduce high risks;
  • Record the outcome of the DPIA, including any difference of opinion with the DPO or individuals consulted
  • Implement the measures we identified, and integrate them into a project plan
  • Consult the supervisory authority when having failed to determine sufficient measures to mitigate the high risks
  • Keep DPIAs under review and revisit them when necessary

Benefits of DPIA

There are many benefits when conducting a DPIA, however here are some of the most prominent benefits.

  • Risk Identification and Management: DPIA enables organizations to systematically identify and analyze the risks connected with their data processing operations. Organizations can effectively manage risks to individuals’ privacy and data protection rights by identifying possible threats.
  • Compliance with Data Protection Regulations: DPIA is a legal obligation under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for some types of processing operations, notably those that are considered to pose significant risks to people’s rights and freedoms. DPIAs guarantee that firms comply with the regulatory obligation, avoiding potential penalties and legal implications for non-compliance. Fines for non-compliance can result in fines of up to 10 Million Euros or up to 2% of the total worldwide annual turnover; whichever is higher.
  • Enhanced Transparency and Accountability: DPIA encourages openness by informing stakeholders, including data subjects, regulators, and other relevant parties, on how personal data is processed and the risks involved.
  • Protection of Individuals’ Rights: The DPIA protects individuals’ rights and freedoms by ensuring that data processing operations follow privacy and data protection standards. Organizations can protect individuals’ rights by proactively recognizing possible dangers, such as the implementation of privacy-enhancing technology or data anonymization procedures.
  • Efficiency and Cost Savings: While DPIA takes a significant initial investment of time and money, it can result in long-term efficiency benefits and cost reductions. By recognizing and managing privacy issues early in the data processing lifecycle, firms may prevent costly data breaches, regulatory penalties, and reputational harm associated with non-compliance.
  • Improved Decision-Making: DPIA offers useful information about the potential impact of data processing operations on individuals’ privacy and data protection rights. This information helps companies to make educated decisions about whether to continue with certain processing operations, adjust existing processes, or introduce new protections to successfully manage risks.
  • Stakeholder Trust and Reputation: Implementing DPIA displays an organization’s commitment to data security and privacy, which is becoming increasingly critical for retaining consumer confidence and protecting reputation. Organizations may differentiate themselves in the marketplace and strengthen their connections with consumers and stakeholders by emphasizing privacy concerns and taking a proactive approach to risk management.

Wrapping Up

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is required to ensure responsible data processing and compliance with GDPR rules. DPIA assists companies in successfully identifying and mitigating risks to people’s privacy, in addition to meeting legal obligations.

It promotes openness, accountability, and trust among stakeholders while also providing benefits like better decision-making and cost savings. In today’s data-driven world, DPIA is more than simply a regulatory need; it’s a strategic necessity for ethical data management and stakeholder confidence.