Explainer: Purpose
How and why the data about you is being used.
The processing of data
Organisations do not just collect personal data. They also want to use the data. We call this processing. An organisation may only process personal data if they have a specific purpose. Find out more about personal data and its usage by organisations below.
Data usage
‘Processing’ is any process in which personal data are processed or used. You can think of collecting or storing data. Updating, arranging, deleting, distributing or other forms of making available are also processing operations.
An example of processing is receiving of application forms and CVs from new employees.
Anonymising personal data is also a processing, because it is a form of erasing or destroying personal data.
In PrivacyLabel we distinguish a couple of purpose categories. If you want to know exactly what the processing goals of an organisation are, you can take a look in its privacy statement.
Pssst. Good to know:
- Purpose limitation - Personal data shall be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes.
- Data minimizing - Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed.