Title: Exploring data subjects' knowledge on the rights GDPR guarantees: an exploratory research in Greece

Authors: Maria Sideri; Stefanos Gritzalis; Athanasios Fontaras

Addresses: Privacy Engineering and Social Informatics Laboratory, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, GR 81100, Lesvos, Greece ' Laboratory of Systems Security, Department of Digital Systems, University of Piraeus, GR 18534, Piraeus, Greece ' e-Governance Department, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", GR 15310, Athens, Greece

Abstract: In a data driven era, the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation in the member-states of the European Union signals enforceable rights for data subjects attributing them more control over their data. However, the actual protection of personal data and natural persons' freedoms does not depend only on the legal framework, but relies also on data subjects' rights knowledge highlighting thus the individual responsibility for personal data protection. In the frame above, this exploratory research investigating the knowledge of a Greek adults group regarding the rights GDPR guarantees reveals fluctuations in rights knowledge related to the information sources on GDPR, data subjects concerns and the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. The research findings highlight the need for data subjects to have more information on GDPR and become fully aware of their rights in order to protect their data.

Keywords: general data protection regulation; data subjects; rights knowledge; concerns; demographic characteristics; information sources; awareness; Greece.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2022.123247

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2022 Vol.14 No.1/2, pp.28 - 57

Received: 01 Sep 2020
Accepted: 11 Feb 2021
Published online: 06 Jun 2022 *