UPSC Prelims 2019 Q88: Science & Technology – Computer & Information Technology
- (a) Australia
- (b) Canada
- (c) The European Union
- (d) The United States of America
Answer: (c) The European Union
Explanation
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Adopted by | European Union |
| Adopted in | April 2016 (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) |
| Enforcement from | 25 May 2018 |
| Scope | Personal data of EU residents; extraterritorial reach on any entity processing EU personal data |
| Key rights | Right to be forgotten, data portability, breach notification within 72 hours, DPO requirement |
| Penalties | Up to 4% of global annual turnover or 20 million EUR (whichever higher) |
GDPR is the EU's landmark data protection law and became a global template for data privacy legislation. Answer: (c) The European Union.
Answer: (c) The European Union.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Australia has its Privacy Act 1988 (updated), not GDPR.
- (b) Incorrect. Canada has PIPEDA, not GDPR.
- (c) CORRECT. GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) was adopted by the European Union in April 2016 and enforced from 25 May 2018 - a landmark global data-protection law.
- (d) Incorrect. USA has sectoral laws (HIPAA, GLBA, CCPA at state level) - no federal GDPR-equivalent.
Key point
GDPR = EU (adopted April 2016, enforced 25 May 2018). Extraterritorial. Right to be forgotten, data portability, 72-hour breach notice. Penalties: up to 4% global turnover.
Remember
The European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in April 2016 and started implementation from 25 May 2018. GDPR is a landmark data protection law with extraterritorial reach - any entity processing personal data of EU residents must comply. It inspired similar laws worldwide, including India's DPDP Act 2023.
Common mistakes
- Confusing GDPR (EU-wide, uniform) with country-specific privacy laws (Canada PIPEDA, Australia Privacy Act).
- Assuming USA has federal GDPR-equivalent - it has sectoral laws + state laws like CCPA (California).
- Not knowing GDPR inspired India's DPDP Act 2023.
Exam tip
Global data protection laws: EU = GDPR (2018). UK = UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018. Canada = PIPEDA. Australia = Privacy Act 1988. Brazil = LGPD. China = PIPL (2021). India = DPDP Act 2023. USA = sectoral + CCPA (California).
Sources
- European Commission - GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) official text
- European Data Protection Board - Guidelines and case law