Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL)

What

The Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) is Saudi Arabia's data privacy law, designed to protect the personal data of individuals within the Kingdom. It establishes rules for how organizations collect, use, store, and share personal data.

Why it Matters

Compliance with the PDPL is crucial for any organization operating in Saudi Arabia that handles personal data. Failure to comply can result in significant fines (up to 5M SAR), potential imprisonment (up to 2 years), increase in customer complaints, and damage to your company's reputation. Moreover, the PDPL reflects a global trend towards greater data privacy and individual rights.

Key Considerations

• The PDPL applies to organizations processing personal data of Saudi residents.

• Explicit consent is required for marketing activities.

• Individuals have rights to access, correct, and delete their data.

• Data transfers outside KSA are highly regulated.
  

Practical Steps

• Understand what data you are collecting, how it is stored, and who has access to it.

• Update your privacy and cookie policies.

• Implement data security measures.

• Ensure consent management measures are in place for all of your data-collection touchpoints with consumers.

• Establish procedures for responding to the data subject rights requests.
  

Official Resources for Further Reading

• The KSA’s Personal Data Protection Law (v2 April 2023)

• Saudi Data & AI Authority (official SDAIA website)

• Rules for Appointing Personal Data Protection Officer issued by SDAIA

• National Data Governance Platform