What is necessary to ensure GDPR compliance when handling personal data?

To ensure GDPR compliance when handling personal data, obtaining explicit consent from individuals to use their data is paramount. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) emphasizes the importance of consent as a legal basis for processing personal data. This means that organizations must clearly inform individuals about how their data will be used and receive their agreement before collection or processing begins. This consent must be given freely, specifically, informed, and unambiguous.

While using encrypted databases, implementing data anonymization, or restricting data access to administrators are important security measures and best practices for data protection, they do not by themselves ensure compliance with GDPR. Consent is a fundamental right under GDPR, and without proper consent mechanisms in place, other protective measures alone cannot satisfy the legal obligations established by the regulation. Thus, prompting for consent to use personal data directly addresses the core requirement of GDPR.