# Data protection regulations Data protection regulations across the world are designed to enable personal data to be used while minimising the risk of harmful impacts. These regulations typically outline three key things: 1. The lawful basis for collecting, using and sharing personal data. 2. The rights of the data subject (the person the data is about). 3. Liabilities and penalties. Different countries have their own data protection legislation covering personal data, which needs to be adhered to. For instance, data protection laws in some countries include a ‘right to erasure’. This means that when data is published online, an individual has the right to have personal information about them deleted. Where details of [legal proceedings or convictions](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-erasure) are included within a dataset, these may have to be deleted after a certain time period. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/data-governance-playbook/play-eight-managing-risks-when-handling-personal-data/data-protection-regulations.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.