What type of data is subject to special protections under GDPR?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), personal data is subject to special protections because it encompasses any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. This definition includes a wide range of data types, such as names, identification numbers, location data, online identifiers, or any other characteristic that can directly or indirectly identify a person.

The GDPR emphasizes that personal data must be processed in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. It establishes various principles and requirements to protect this data, ensuring that individuals retain control over their personal information. This includes the rights to access, correct, and request the deletion of their data, as well as the requirement for explicit consent in many cases.

In contrast, publicly available data, regular business data, and non-personal aggregated data do not fall under the same level of protection mandated by GDPR. Publicly available data may not require the same considerations for privacy since it is already accessible to the general public. Regular business data, unless it contains personal information, is typically not subject to the regulations set forth in GDPR. Similarly, non-personal aggregated data, which cannot identify individuals, is not protected under GDPR because it does not relate to any specific person.