Section 2Protection of personal data

(1) The [^F1UK GDPR] and this Act protect individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, in particular by—

(a)
requiring personal data to be processed lawfully and fairly, on the basis of the data subject's consent or another specified basis,
(b)
conferring rights on the data subject to obtain information about the processing of personal data and to require inaccurate personal data to be rectified, and
(c)
conferring functions on the [^F2Commission, giving it] responsibility for monitoring and enforcing their provisions.

(2) ^F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Amended text

This Section is shown as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), among other instruments (see the annotations below) (commenced provisions as at 30 September 2026, ELI), as incorporated in the text in force on 30 September 2026 as published on legislation.gov.uk.

Annotations

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 2(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 3 (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2 Words in s. 2(1)(c) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(4); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)
F3 S. 2(2) omitted (20.8.2025) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 91(2), 142(1); S.I. 2025/904, reg. 2(e)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 2 in force at 25.5.2018 by S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(a)

https://dpa2018.digiphile.law/article/article-2.html

Text as at 18 September 2026.

This is an unofficial convenience version of the Data Protection Act 2018. It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in September 2026.