Distance learning program on data protection

ended

The main objective of this project is to increase overall awareness (both for enterprises and natural persons) on personal data protection rules, laws and requirements. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes obligations and provides rights to everyone in the EU. The DSI has established that although the overall knowledge on data protection is increasing, the understanding of data protection issues is lacking. Often natural persons misunderstand their rights and Small and Medium size enterprises (SMEs) fail to comply with responsibilities. The DSI considers that the situation can be mitigated by improved communication between parties involved and provision of “in depth” knowledge. The Project aims to raise awareness on personal data protection rules for SMEs and natural persons through digital learning. Introduction of a distance learning program on personal data protection will enable representatives of SMEs to educate them self on personal data protection issues that will increase overall data protection level in Latvia, also in other EU countries, because of distance learning program availability with subtitles in Latvian, English and Russian, with possibility to make the program available in Lithuanian and Estonian. Lit Due to more knowledgeable stakeholder, it would also decrease the workload of DSI since better understanding of principles of personal data protection would increase general compliance with data protection requirements, it would also decrease incurring administrative costs by the SMEs since entrepreneurs would have a better understanding when it is necessary to involve a external help in evaluating compliance with planned data processing operations and in which cases such evaluation can be carried out in-house. Distance learning program would provide a groundwork for a education program that would be under constant development by the DSI and that would continue to give opportunity to entrepreneurs and SMEs that operate in Baltic states to learn about data protection for years to come and decrease risks of violitions.