Under GDPR, how can personal data be processed legally?

Processing personal data legally under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires obtaining the consent of the data subject, which is the individual whose personal data is being collected and processed. This consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous, providing individuals with clear options to consent to their data being used.

Consent is one of several legal bases for processing personal data under GDPR, but it is fundamental because it puts individuals in control of their own data and ensures they are aware of how their information will be utilized. If individuals have not consented to their data being processed, organizations must rely on other legal bases such as contractual necessity, legal obligation, vital interests, public task, or legitimate interests, which all necessitate specific justifications and conditions.

In contrast, processing personal data without any restrictions is not compliant with GDPR principles. Similarly, while anonymizing data can mitigate privacy concerns, it does not apply to personal data, as anonymized data is not considered personal data under GDPR. Lastly, processing data solely under an organization's directive does not provide sufficient legal grounding, as it must still align with the consent of the data subject or fall under one of the permitted legal bases for data processing outlined in the GDPR.