Back to Blog
Compliance4 min read

GDPR vs. CCPA: A Quick Reference Guide

Two privacy laws, different requirements, overlapping obligations. Here's what you need to know about GDPR and CCPA compliance.

Data Protection Law Cheat Sheet: GDPR and CCPA


General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Scope:

  • Applies to all organizations processing personal data of EU residents, regardless of the organization's location.

Key Principles:

  • Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency: Data must be processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently.
  • Purpose Limitation: Data must be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes.
  • Data Minimization: Data must be adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary.
  • Accuracy: Data must be accurate and kept up-to-date.
  • Storage Limitation: Data must be kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than necessary.
  • Integrity and Confidentiality: Data must be processed securely to ensure protection against unauthorized access.
  • Accountability: Organizations must demonstrate compliance with GDPR principles.

Rights of Data Subjects:

  • Right to Access: Individuals can access their personal data.
  • Right to Rectification: Individuals can correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): Individuals can request deletion of their data.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: Individuals can limit the processing of their data.
  • Right to Data Portability: Individuals can transfer their data to another organization.
  • Right to Object: Individuals can object to data processing.
  • Rights Related to Automated Decision Making and Profiling: Individuals have rights concerning automated processing and profiling.

Compliance Requirements:

  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): Appoint a DPO for large-scale monitoring or processing of sensitive data.
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs): Conduct DPIAs for high-risk processing.
  • Breach Notification: Notify supervisory authorities within 72 hours of a data breach.
  • Consent: Obtain explicit consent for data processing where required.

Penalties:

  • Fines up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global turnover, whichever is higher.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

Scope:

  • Applies to for-profit businesses that collect personal data of California residents and meet certain criteria, such as revenue thresholds or data volume.

Key Principles:

  • Transparency: Businesses must disclose data collection practices and purposes.
  • Control: Individuals have more control over their personal data.

Rights of Consumers:

  • Right to Know: Consumers can request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal data collected.
  • Right to Delete: Consumers can request deletion of their personal data.
  • Right to Opt-Out: Consumers can opt-out of the sale of their personal data.
  • Right to Non-Discrimination: Consumers must not be discriminated against for exercising their privacy rights.

Compliance Requirements:

  • Privacy Policy: Update privacy policies to reflect CCPA rights and practices.
  • Verification: Implement methods for verifying consumer requests.
  • Training: Train employees on CCPA compliance and handling consumer requests.
  • Data Security: Implement reasonable security measures to protect personal data.

Penalties:

  • Fines up to $7,500 per intentional violation and $2,500 per unintentional violation.
  • Private right of action for data breaches, with statutory damages between $100 and $750 per incident.

Additional Resources for Learning GDPR and CCPA

Books:

  • "GDPR For Dummies" by Suzanne Dibble
  • "CCPA For Dummies" by Sienna Levine

Online Courses:

Professional Organizations and Certifications:

  • IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals): IAPP
  • CIPP/E Certification: Focuses on European data protection laws, including GDPR.
  • CIPM Certification: Covers privacy program management principles.

Websites and Blogs:

Research Papers and Journals:

Jonathan Carpenter
Jonathan Carpenter
Founder, Anchor Cyber Security
Share:

Want to discuss this topic?

Let's talk about how these insights apply to your organization.

Get in Touch