Natural Person

A human being, as opposed to a legal person (like a corporation). Privacy laws protect natural persons' personal data, not corporate data. This distinction matters because business information about companies isn't protected the same way as personal information about individuals. However, the line can blur—business contact information (Jane Smith at Company X) relates to a natural person and constitutes personal data, even in business contexts. GDPR explicitly protects natural persons, while legal entities like corporations aren't data subjects under GDPR. Some jurisdictions extend certain privacy protections to sole proprietorships or small businesses where the business and individual are closely linked. Organizations should recognize that all data relating to identifiable natural persons is personal data regardless of business context, understand that corporate data about legal entities receives different treatment, and be clear about distinctions when determining privacy obligations. The natural person focus ensures privacy protections extend to all humans.