Big Data and the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union

Abstract

Data is the oil of the 21st century. Big Data refers not only to the data itself, but also to its analysis and use. In this evaluation process, we try to find patterns and connections to correctly contextualize them. The challenge is not only the huge volume of data, but also its speed and variety. One of the major concerns of the Internet is to protect security, privacy and transparency. For this, a legal framework is needed to regulate responsibilities and penalize offenders. In the European Union, this legal data framework exists and is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - Regulation (EU) No. 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 27 April - applicable from of May 25, 2018. It aims to defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons, namely their right to the protection of personal data, and to ensure the free movement of such data within the Union, with the objective of contributing to the creation of a space of freedom, security and justice and an economic union, for economic and social progress, the consolidation and convergence of economies within the internal market and for the well-being of natural persons. The most important thing at the moment, given the immense possibilities offered by Big Data, its analysis and use, is to enforce the GDPR, so that the rights of individuals in matters of personal data are guaranteed.