What is Article 19 of the GDPR?

Asked by: Prof. Leanne Bruen  |  Last update: June 2, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (3 votes)

GDPR Article 19 requires data controllers to notify recipients of personal data about any corrections (rectification), deletions (erasure/right to be forgotten), or processing restrictions, unless it's impossible or involves disproportionate effort, ensuring data subject rights are enforced across the entire data chain. This article makes the rights under Articles 16 (rectification), 17 (erasure), and 18 (restriction) effective by obligating controllers to communicate these actions to third parties who have received the data.

Does GDPR apply to US citizens?

Yes, GDPR applies to U.S. citizens if they are physically located in the European Economic Area (EEA) when their data is processed, regardless of their nationality; citizenship doesn't matter, only location, meaning tourists, students, or residents in the EU are protected, while U.S. citizens in the U.S. are not. The regulation's scope is territorial, so if a U.S. citizen visits the EU and uses an app or buys something, GDPR rules apply to that data processing. 

What is article 19 of Human Rights?

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

What is the right to erasure Article 17 and 19 of the GDPR?

The right to erasure (Articles 17 & 19 of the GDPR) You have the right to erase your personal data when the personal data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or when, among other things, your personal data have been unlawfully processed.

Can I ask a company to delete all my data?

The right to get your data deleted is also known as the 'right to erasure'. You can ask an organisation that holds data about you to delete that data. In some circumstances, they must then do so. You may sometimes hear this called the 'right to be forgotten'.

GDPR - Article 19: Notification obligation

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How to permanently erase data so that it cannot be recovered?

To ensure deleted files are unrecoverable, you must overwrite the data using specialized software (like Eraser, BleachBit) for specific files, or use built-in commands like cipher /w on Windows to wipe free space; for absolute security on an entire drive, use full disk encryption or a drive wiping utility like DBAN before disposal, as standard deletions only remove pointers, leaving data vulnerable. 

How long can a company keep your data in GDPR?

What is the storage limitation principle? So, even if you collect and use personal data fairly and lawfully, you cannot keep it for longer than you actually need it. There are close links here with the data minimisation and accuracy principles. The UK GDPR does not set specific time limits for different types of data.

What are legitimate reasons for data erasure?

Doing so can ensure this data is rendered inaccessible, reducing risk, maintaining customer trust, avoiding potential fines, and limiting breach exposure. Such data erasure also ensures that an organization complies with all national, regional, and market-specific regulations.

Is deleting data a data breach?

What is a personal data breach? A personal data breach means a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. This includes breaches that are the result of both accidental and deliberate causes.

What is considered personal data under the GDPR?

In practice, these also include all data which are or can be assigned to a person in any kind of way. For example, the telephone, credit card or personnel number of a person, account data, number plate, appearance, customer number or address are all personal data.

What are the rules of Article 19?

According to Article 19(1 )(e) every citizen of India has the right "to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India." However, under clause (5) of Article 19 reasonable restriction may be imposed on this right by law in the interest of the general public or for the protection of the interest of any ...

What are the Article 19 standards?

ARTICLE 19 envisages a world where people are free to speak their opinions, to participate in decision-making and to make informed choices about their lives For this to be possible, people everywhere must be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of information.

Does Article 19 apply to everyone?

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 provides: 1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

What is the closest law to GDPR in the USA?

The US equivalent of the GDPR is the CCPA or California Consumer Privacy Act. It was inspired by the GDPR, and both laws protect the personal data of consumers.

Who is exempt from GDPR?

Some of the most common exemptions include businesses that do not process personal data of living persons, businesses that have no connection with the European Union, derogations for businesses with less than 250 employees, or data processing primarily for personal/household activities.

Can European data be stored in the US?

On 10 July the European Commission adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. On the basis of the adequacy decision, personal data can flow freely from the EU to companies in the United States that participate in the Data Privacy Framework.

Why is my iPhone saying my password appeared in a data leak?

An iPhone data leak password alert means a password in your iCloud Keychain was found in a list of credentials stolen from a third-party website or app during a breach; it doesn't mean your iPhone was hacked, but rather that the password you used on that compromised service is now vulnerable, requiring you to change it immediately on that site and others using the same password to prevent hackers from using it to access your accounts via techniques like credential stuffing.
 

Can you legally make someone delete pictures of you?

In the United States, statutes protecting privacy and intellectual property rights can be used to make someone take down photos of you under certain circumstances.

What are the first signs of being hacked?

The first signs of being hacked often involve unusual online activity like unexpected password resets, login alerts from strange locations, or friends getting spam from your accounts; on your device, watch for sudden slowness, unfamiliar apps/pop-ups, disabled security software, excessive data/battery drain, or your mouse moving on its own, as these point to unauthorized access or malware using your system's resources.
 

Should you turn off legitimate interest cookies?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), legitimate interest can also be a legal basis for the use of cookies, provided that the use of cookies is necessary for the legitimate interests of the website operator or a third party, and does not infringe on the privacy rights of the user.

What is the number one reason for data breaches?

The Major Causes of Data Breaches

  • Social Engineering and phishing attacks. Social engineering and phishing attacks are the top causes of security breaches due to their exploitation of human psychology. ...
  • Weak Authentication Practices. ...
  • Insider threats.

How to ensure data is permanently destroyed?

Hard drive and SSD shredding

Hard drive shredding is the gold standard for secure data destruction, as it guarantees that no data can ever be recovered from a destroyed device.

What records need to be kept for 6 years?

You must keep records for 6 years from the end of the last company financial year they relate to, or longer if: they show a transaction that covers more than one of the company's accounting periods. the company has bought something that it expects to last more than 6 years, like equipment or machinery.

What are the 7 principles of GDPR?

The 7 principles of GDPR are: Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency (process data legally and openly); Purpose Limitation (use data only for stated reasons); Data Minimisation (collect only necessary data); Accuracy (keep data correct); Storage Limitation (don't keep data forever); Integrity and Confidentiality (secure the data); and Accountability (prove compliance). These form the core rules for handling personal data ethically and legally under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.
 

How long should you keep emails for?

Even emails that contain information about everyday workplace matters, such as sickness records or maternity pay, are required to be kept for 3 years. Many businesses will find that, because of these legal provisions, it is safest to keep emails for around 7 years.