Privacy Rights

Privacy rights are the legal entitlements individuals have regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of their personal information. These rights vary by jurisdiction but increasingly include core protections that empower individuals with control over their data. The GDPR provides comprehensive privacy rights including the right to be informed, right of access, right to rectification, right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"), right to restrict processing, right to data portability, right to object, and rights related to automated decision-making and profiling. The CCPA and CPRA grant California consumers rights to know what personal information is collected, to delete personal information, to opt-out of sales and sharing, to correct inaccurate information, and to limit use of sensitive personal information. Many US state privacy laws follow similar patterns. Privacy rights also include the right to non-discrimination for exercising rights. Organizations must establish processes to facilitate these rights, respond to requests within specified timeframes (typically 30-45 days), verify requestor identity, and maintain records of requests. Privacy rights are not absolute—exemptions exist for legal compliance, fraud prevention, security purposes, and other legitimate interests. The trend globally is toward expanding and strengthening privacy rights, recognizing that individuals should have meaningful control over their personal information in an increasingly data-driven world.