What legislation was passed by the European Union in 2016 to address personal privacy?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was enacted by the European Union in 2016 to enhance and unify data protection for individuals within the EU. This legislation aimed to give individuals more control over their personal data and to establish a standard framework for data privacy across all member states.

GDPR introduced several key provisions, such as the requirement for explicit consent for data processing, the right to access personal data, the right to be forgotten, and stringent penalties for non-compliance. It emphasizes transparency regarding how organizations collect, use, and share personal information.

The relevance of this legislation extends beyond just European citizens, as it also applies to any organization that processes the personal data of EU residents, regardless of where the organization is located. This global impact underscores the GDPR's significance in the realm of privacy and data protection.

Other options listed do not correspond to legislation specific to European data protection in 2016. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is focused on healthcare information in the United States, the Information Security Risk Regulation is not a recognized term in relation to data protection laws, and the Privacy Protection Act primarily pertains to certain privacy provisions in relation to personal data but is not comparable to GDPR.