Special Categories of Personal Data Under the GDPR

September 15, 2024The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the most comprehensive privacy regulations in the world, setting strict guidelines for how personal data should be collected, processed, and stored. Within the GDPR, certain types of personal data are given extra protection due to their sensitive nature. These are known as “special categories of personal data,” and are subject to more stringent protections. If mishandled, this type of data can pose potential risks to individuals’ rights and freedoms and may result in severe repercussions for individuals and organizations alike.What Are Special Categories of Personal Data?Under Article 9 of the GDPR, special category data refers to personal data that reveals:Racial or ethnic origin,Political opinions,Religious or philosophical beliefs,Trade union membership,Genetic data,Biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person,Health data,Data concerning a person’s sex life or sexual orientation.Thes...