GDPR/CCPA compliance basics

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the EU's comprehensive privacy law that applies to any product serving European users regardless of where your company is based. It requires explicit consent for data collection, gives users rights to access and delete their data, mandates breach notifications within 72 hours, and imposes fines up to 4% of global revenue for violations. GDPR establishes strict standards for how personal data must be processed and protected.^[1]

CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) is California's privacy law covering businesses serving California residents. It grants users the right to know what data is collected, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of data selling. While similar to GDPR in user rights, CCPA has different thresholds for which businesses must comply and focuses heavily on preventing data sales without consent.^[2]

Beyond these two major regulations, many countries and regions have their own privacy laws. Always research local requirements for markets you serve. Meeting GDPR standards often satisfies other laws, but verify specific requirements for each market where your product operates.