How many principles of data protection are there?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, there are seven data protection principles.

The 7 principles are:

1. Lawfulness, fairness and transparency
2. Purpose limitation
3. Data minimisation
4. Accuracy
5. Storage limitation
6. Integrity and confidentiality (security)
7. Accountability 

How does GDPR define the seven guidelines?

Article 5 of GDPR outlines the seven principles based on which organizations must process personal data.

1.   Personal data shall be:

(a) processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’);

(b) collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes; further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall, in accordance with Article 89(1), not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes (‘purpose limitation’);

(c) adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed (‘data minimisation’);

(d) accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay (‘accuracy’);

(e) kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed; personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by this Regulation in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject (‘storage limitation’);

(f) processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (‘integrity and confidentiality’).

2.   The controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, paragraph 1 (‘accountability’).

Importance of the data protection principles

GDPR does not necessarily define in exact detail the obligations on how to protect someone’s personal data and what measures to take.

For each organization, in each industry and for the type of personal data collected, the measures to comply with GDPR may be different.

To guide the decision of organizations, GDPR has outlined these seven principles to embody the spirit of what data protection entails.

To comply with GDPR means that you must comply with the seven data protection principles it outlines.

More on how many principles of data protection act are there?

For additional details on how many principles of data protection and a more comprehensive description of each of those principles, read our post titled What Are The 7 Principles of GDPR (All You Need To Know).

How Many Principles of Data Protection Are There

How many principles of data protection are there?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, there are seven data protection principles.

The 7 principles are:

1. Lawfulness, fairness and transparency
2. Purpose limitation
3. Data minimisation
4. Accuracy
5. Storage limitation
6. Integrity and confidentiality (security)
7. Accountability 

How does GDPR define the seven guidelines?

Article 5 of GDPR outlines the seven principles based on which organizations must process personal data.

1.   Personal data shall be:

(a) processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’);

(b) collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes; further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall, in accordance with Article 89(1), not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes (‘purpose limitation’);

(c) adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed (‘data minimisation’);

(d) accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay (‘accuracy’);

(e) kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed; personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by this Regulation in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject (‘storage limitation’);

(f) processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (‘integrity and confidentiality’).

2.   The controller shall be responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, paragraph 1 (‘accountability’).

GDPR official text: Eur-lex.europa.eu

Importance of the data protection principles

GDPR does not necessarily define in exact detail the obligations on how to protect someone’s personal data and what measures to take.

For each organization, in each industry and for the type of personal data collected, the measures to comply with GDPR may be different.

To guide the decision of organizations, GDPR has outlined these seven principles to embody the spirit of what data protection entails.

To comply with GDPR means that you must comply with the seven data protection principles it outlines.

More on how many principles of data protection act are there?

For additional details on how many principles of data protection and a more comprehensive description of each of those principles, read our post titled What Are The 7 Principles of GDPR (All You Need To Know).