Data Protection as a part of research communication activities
People’s privacy is a fundamental right we must protect when we communicate about science. No matter what activity you perform, you are obliged to comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). So, if you use people’s personal data in your communication activities – such as names, photographs, or videos – there are some actions you should take.
The European Research Executive Agency (REA) has compiled a check list so you can be sure that you protect people’s fundamental right to privacy and comply with EU data protection laws while providing your research communication activities.
- Identify the data. Determine the activities or products for which you use people’s personal data: videos, photos, articles, events. And list which data will be collected: names, emails, images, others.
- Ask for consent. Prepare a Data Protection Record, a Data Protection Notice, and get authorisation from people to use their data.
- Take care of the data. Store data for the shortest time possible and keep it safe during the entire lifecycle of the project.
- Be vigilant. Do not save images or personal data from external sources, especially if people are recognisable, on your device. You cannot be sure those materials comply with data protection or intellectual property rights.
For more information on the data usage and protection in research projects, please click here.