What is Meant by Data Minimisation?

Data minimisation means that organisations collect and process only the personal data necessary to achieve their specific purpose. By restricting data retention and collection, businesses can reduce the risk of data breaches and strengthen compliance with privacy regulations.

It is a core principle of data protection laws, such as UK GDPR and EU GDPR.

What is the Data Minimisation Principle?

The data minimisation principle revolves around three key concepts:

• Adequacy: The data collected should be sufficient for its purpose.
• Relevance: Only data directly related to the purpose should be processed.‍
• Necessity: Organisations should not collect more data than needed for the specific task.

How to Implement Data Minimisation

To follow the data minimisation principle, organisations should:

1. Identify the Purpose: Clearly define the reason for collecting and processing personal data.
2. Review Data Regularly: Ensure that personal data remains relevant and up to date, deleting unnecessary information.
3. Minimise Special Category Data: Extra care should be taken when processing sensitive personal data, ensuring compliance with legal obligations.

The Importance of Data Minimisation for GDPR

Under GDPR, adhering to the data minimisation principle protects individuals' privacy and reduces the amount of data an organisation needs to safeguard. This reduces the risks associated with data breaches and ensures better compliance with data protection laws.

Disclaimer

This article does not constitute legal advice in any form and only seeks to break down some of the main points set out by publicly available sources such as the ICO.

Key Takeaways & Wrap Up

In this article, we have helped you understand the following:

• Data minimisation means collecting and processing only the personal data necessary to achieve a specific purpose, as required by GDPR.

• The data minimisation principle ensures organisations collect only the personal data necessary, focusing on adequacy, relevance, and necessity.

• Implementing data minimisation involves clearly defining the purpose of data collection, regularly reviewing data, and minimising sensitive data processing.

• Adhering to this principle reduces the risk of data breaches and ensures compliance with GDPR, safeguarding individuals' privacy.

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Data Minimisation FAQs

What is an example of data minimisation?

‍An organisation asking for a customer’s email address to send order confirmations but not requesting additional personal information like their home address unless necessary.

Why is data minimisation important?

‍Data minimisation reduces the risks of holding excessive personal data, which can result in breaches or non-compliance with GDPR.

How can organisations achieve data minimisation?

‍By conducting regular data audits, removing irrelevant data, and ensuring that only essential information is collected for specific purposes.

How does data minimisation impact data breaches?

‍Minimising the amount of data processed reduces the overall exposure to risks, limiting the potential damage from data breaches.