CIPT (Certified Information Privacy Technologist) Practice

What is a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)?

1. A report generated after data breaches

2. A method for analyzing user satisfaction

3. A process to identify and minimize data protection risks of a project

4. An audit of data processing activities

The correct answer is: A process to identify and minimize data protection risks of a project

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is fundamentally a process that organizations undertake to identify and minimize data protection risks associated with a project or initiative that involves the processing of personal data. The primary objective of a DPIA is to assess how a proposed project might impact an individual's privacy rights and determine how those risks can be mitigated. Conducting a DPIA typically involves evaluating the necessity and proportionality of the data processing, considering the nature of the personal data being processed, the potential impact on individuals, and the measures that can be implemented to address or mitigate those risks. This aligns with privacy laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, which mandates DPIAs for certain types of data processing activities that are likely to result in high risks to individuals’ rights and freedoms. In contrast, generating a report after a data breach focuses on the aftermath of privacy incidents, while analyzing user satisfaction and conducting audits of data processing activities serve different purposes that do not center specifically on the proactive risk assessment related to data protection compliance.