# Providing data for GDPR

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/providing-data-for-gdpr/83595
**Category:** Community Building
**Tags:** gdpr, privacy
**Created:** [March 22, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/providing-data-for-gdpr/83595 "2018-03-22T18:36:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 10

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### Author: ![RGJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/rgj/32/523185_2.png) [@RGJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RGJ)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/providing-data-for-gdpr/83595/10 "2018-03-22T19:34:24Z")

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> [@GDPR and anonymizing personal data](https://meta.discourse.org/t/gdpr-and-anonymizing-personal-data/72103/53):
>
> Under the Data Protection Act - on which GDPR seems to be based, it is considered best practice to actually provide a copy of the data.

The GDPR is not based on the Data Protection Act. the GDPR is the ‘sequel’ of directive 95/46/EG, and the DPA is an implementation of that same directive. That is why they are similar on some aspects.

Under the GDPR, providing a copy of the data is required.

> [@GDPR and anonymizing personal data](https://meta.discourse.org/t/gdpr-and-anonymizing-personal-data/72103/52):
>
> I meant overkill to download as a pdf not to access your personal data

Although from a personal note I think anything would be better than the current gzipped CSV file, it is more GDPR compliant than a PDF. The law requires (article 20)

> a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format

So a CSV would be better, since a PDF is less clearly structured and less machine-readable.

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