GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data privacy and security law enacted by the European Union (EU) in 2018. It sets strict rules for how organizations collect, process, store, and protect personal data of individuals in the EU, granting individuals greater control over their data. It applies to any organization handling EU residents' data, regardless of where the organization is based.
Developers should learn GDPR to ensure compliance when building applications that handle personal data, especially for users in the EU, to avoid hefty fines (up to 4% of global revenue) and legal issues. It's crucial for roles involving data processing, privacy-by-design systems, or international software development, as it mandates features like data encryption, user consent mechanisms, and data breach notifications.