Right to rectification

The right to rectification is enshrined in Article 16 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This right allows data subjects to request the data controller to correct their personal data if it is inaccurate or to complete incomplete personal data, where necessary for the purposes of processing. This right is closely linked to the principle of accuracy, as defined in Article 5(1)(d) of the GDPR, which requires the data controller to ensure that personal data is always accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.

The right to rectification applies to any type of personal data, such as contact information (address, phone number), details about preferences, or other data held by the data controller about the data subject. The aim is to ensure that personal data is always accurate and up to date, preventing potential errors or non-compliant processing.

To exercise the right to rectification, the data subject can make a formal request to the data controller, who must respond without undue delay. The data controller is required to respond within one month of receiving the request, except in cases of particular complexity, where the time limit may be extended by an additional two months. In any case, the data controller must inform the data subject about the actions taken or, if applicable, the reasons why the request cannot be fulfilled.

Practical Examples of the Right to Rectification

• Incorrect personal data: A customer notices that the shipping address recorded with an online store is incorrect and requests that it be corrected.
• Incomplete data: A user provides additional information necessary to complete their profile with an online service, such as adding a missing phone number.

Trust Guardian’s approach to the right to rectification
Trust Guardian helps companies efficiently manage the right to rectification by offering tools that allow data subjects to request corrections to their data directly through myPrivacy. Trust Guardian centralizes the management of rectification requests, allowing DPOs and data controllers to track and document each request, ensuring transparency and proper management of changes.