General information about personal data and the privacy law

Personal data are all data that say something about you. Sometimes directly, sometimes in combination with other data. Since 2018, a new privacy law has been in force in the Netherlands. Just like in the other countries of the European Union. This law is called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR protects you when organisations collect and use your personal data.

Your personal data

Your personal data are, for example, your name, address, telephone number, and passport photo. But also who your friends are, what you buy on the Internet, or whether you have allergies.

Some personal data are directly about you. For example, whether you are a boy or a girl.

In addition, there are data that are not directly about you, but that can be traced back to you. Such as the IP address of your smartphone . This is the unique address of your device (such as a telephone or computer) on the Internet. Or data that, when combined with other data, refer to you.
Personal data are therefore all data that someone can use to identify you.

Your rights

The GDPR says that you have certain rights. Such as the right to information. This means that companies have to tell you that they use your personal data and why they do this.

In this way, you will know what happens with your data if you download an app, for example. And you can decide for yourself whether you really want this.

Consent from parents

Are you under 16 years of age? And do you want to start using an app or an online game? Buy something in a webshop? Or create an account on social media? And do you have to fill in data for this purpose? Then you need consent from one of your parents or carers. 

The company is obliged to check if your parent or carer has really given consent. The company has to do this by recording this consent. The company is not allowed to collect and use your personal data without consent.

Withdrawing consent

Did you give consent, but you do not want this anymore? Then you can withdraw that consent at any time. This must be as easy as giving consent. From that time, the company may no longer collect and use your personal data.

You can also withdraw your consent for part of your data. For example: you want to keep using an app, but you no longer want this app to track your location. Then you can turn that off.

Obligations for companies

The GDPR contains strict rules for companies. The GDPR forces companies to protect the privacy of people and not to do anything they want with personal data.

If companies and organisations fail to comply with the GDPR, they may get a fine up to as much as 20 million euros.