Building GDPR-compliant apps with WeWeb + Xano

In today's digital landscape, ensuring the protection of personal data is of paramount importance. One key regulation that governs data privacy is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

However, there are common misconceptions surrounding GDPR compliance, particularly regarding the storage of personal data within the European Union (EU). In this post, we will delve into the intricacies of GDPR compliance and shed light on the responsibilities of various stakeholders.

While we are not legal experts, we aim to provide a comprehensive interpretation of GDPR rules as they relate to the WeWeb platform and applications built upon it.‍

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Dispelling the myth 💥

Contrary to popular belief, GDPR does not explicitly mandate that personal data must be stored within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA) for compliance. Instead, GDPR imposes stringent requirements on the transfer of personal data outside these regions.

It is indeed permissible to store and process personal data of EU and EEA citizens outside the EU, provided appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure data protection and GDPR compliance.‍

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10 Key GDPR requirements 🧐

To better understand GDPR compliance, let's examine some of the crucial requirements related to data transfer, storage, and processing.

1. Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency: Data must be processed in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner, ensuring individuals are informed about the purpose and legal basis of data processing.
2. Purpose limitation: Personal data should only be collected for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes, and should not be further processed in a manner incompatible with those purposes.
3. Data minimization: Data processing should be limited to what is necessary for the stated purposes, ensuring the minimum amount of data is collected and processed.
4. Accuracy: Personal data must be accurate and, if necessary, kept up to date. Steps should be taken to rectify or delete inaccurate data.
5. Storage limitation: Personal data should be retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was processed, in a form that allows for the identification of data subjects.
6. Integrity and confidentiality: Data must be processed securely, safeguarding it against unauthorized or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. Technical and organizational measures such as encryption, access controls, and secure processing methods should be implemented.
7. Data transfers outside the EU/EEA: To transfer personal data outside the EU/EEA, appropriate safeguards must be in place. These may include Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs), or transferring data to countries deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection by the European Commission.
8. Data protection by design and by default: Data controllers are required to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data and privacy rights from the early stages of development, making privacy the default setting.
9. Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs): For high-risk processing activities, data controllers must conduct DPIAs to identify and mitigate potential risks to personal data.
10. Data breach notifications: In the event of a data breach, data controllers must notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and, in certain cases, inform affected individuals without undue delay.

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👥 Shared responsibility model

Achieving GDPR compliance requires a shared responsibility model, where different stakeholders hold specific responsibilities.

Here's a breakdown of responsibilities between the application builder and the infrastructure provider.‍

Application Builder (Application): Responsibilities include items 1 to 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11, such as ensuring lawful and fair processing, implementing appropriate technical measures, conducting DPIAs, and handling data breach notifications.‍

Infrastructure Provider (Frontend, Backend, and Underlying Infrastructure): Item 6, pertaining to implementing technical and organizational measures, falls under the responsibility of both the application builder and the infrastructure provider. Infrastructure providers such as AWS (for WeWeb) and Google Cloud (for XANO) offer tools to assist with GDPR compliance.

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🧰 Building GDPR-compliant apps with WeWeb + Xano

Building a GDPR-compliant application using the WeWeb & Xano stack is indeed feasible. WeWeb/XANO, along with their underlying infrastructure providers, AWS and Google Cloud, provide the necessary tools and safeguards to support GDPR compliance.

However, it is crucial to recognize that a significant portion of the responsibility lies with the application itself. By adhering to the key GDPR requirements and fulfilling their respective obligations, application builders can create robust and privacy-conscious solutions.‍

Disclaimer: It is important to note that the information provided in this blog post is not intended as legal advice. For a definitive legal analysis or advisory on GDPR compliance, it is advisable to seek professional legal assistance and conduct a thorough analysis based on your specific circumstances.