The European Union has adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on May 25, 2018. This regulation applies to all 28 EU member states and replaces the 1995 Data Protection Directive. It is a significant step towards creating a unified digital market and ensures a balanced interaction between data controllers within and outside the EU. The GDPR imposes substantial obligations on organizations but also significantly strengthens the rights of individuals. It reinforces and expands the rights of individuals, including the right to be forgotten, the right to data portability, and the right to object to processing. It also introduces new principles such as "privacy by design" and "data protection by default," which require organizations to consider data protection from the very beginning of product and service development. The regulation also mandates that data breaches be reported to the relevant national authority within 72 hours. For children under 16, special protections are in place, and the age can be lowered to 13 in some member states. The GDPR also introduces a Data Protection Officer for large organizations and requires non-EU companies to comply with the same rules when operating within the EU. Non-compliance can result in fines up to 20 million euros or 4% of global annual turnover. The regulation is seen as a priority for many organizations, with significant investments expected. The European Commission will monitor the implementation of the regulation and conduct an evaluation in 2019. The GDPR is a major step towards a more secure and trustworthy digital environment, ensuring that individuals have control over their personal data.The European Union has adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on May 25, 2018. This regulation applies to all 28 EU member states and replaces the 1995 Data Protection Directive. It is a significant step towards creating a unified digital market and ensures a balanced interaction between data controllers within and outside the EU. The GDPR imposes substantial obligations on organizations but also significantly strengthens the rights of individuals. It reinforces and expands the rights of individuals, including the right to be forgotten, the right to data portability, and the right to object to processing. It also introduces new principles such as "privacy by design" and "data protection by default," which require organizations to consider data protection from the very beginning of product and service development. The regulation also mandates that data breaches be reported to the relevant national authority within 72 hours. For children under 16, special protections are in place, and the age can be lowered to 13 in some member states. The GDPR also introduces a Data Protection Officer for large organizations and requires non-EU companies to comply with the same rules when operating within the EU. Non-compliance can result in fines up to 20 million euros or 4% of global annual turnover. The regulation is seen as a priority for many organizations, with significant investments expected. The European Commission will monitor the implementation of the regulation and conduct an evaluation in 2019. The GDPR is a major step towards a more secure and trustworthy digital environment, ensuring that individuals have control over their personal data.