Personal Data Protection
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Bahraini national legislation, decree-laws, and ministerial orders.
Bahraini National Law
What is this right?
Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), enacted in 2018, gives individuals control over their personal data:
- Consent: Organisations must obtain your clear consent before collecting, processing, or sharing your personal data, except where the law provides specific exemptions.
- Right to access: You have the right to request access to any personal data an organisation holds about you.
- Right to correction: You can request that inaccurate data be corrected or outdated data be updated.
- Right to deletion: You can request that your personal data be deleted when it is no longer needed for the purpose it was collected.
- Data breach notification: Organisations must notify the authority and affected individuals of data breaches that pose a risk to personal data.
- Cross-border transfers: Personal data cannot be transferred outside Bahrain unless the receiving country provides adequate data protection or the individual has consented.
When does it apply?
- A company is collecting your personal information without clear consent.
- You want to access, correct, or delete personal data held by a business or government entity.
- You believe your personal data has been breached or shared without authorisation.
What should you do?
- Read privacy policies before providing personal data to any service or platform.
- Submit a written request to the organisation to access, correct, or delete your data.
- If the organisation does not comply, file a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Authority.
- For data breaches, change your passwords immediately and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity.
What should you NOT do?
- Do not share personal data carelessly — only provide what is necessary for the service.
- Do not ignore privacy policy changes — organisations must notify you, and you can withdraw consent.
- Do not assume all data collection is legal — challenge requests for excessive or unnecessary personal information.
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