Translating the text of the GDPR (Data Protection Regulation) is an important obligation for all companies operating internationally. A legal notice regarding the protection of personal data on the website or by email is legally valid. All details regarding data collection must be correctly expressed and translated.
Should GDPR be translated into English?
The General Data Protection Regulation, adopted in 2016 and in force since 2018, is better known as GDPR (English: GDRP / General Data Protection Regulation) and aims to protect the personal data of EU citizens. This is a legal provision. . This affects both companies and government agencies, as well as public law enterprises, to post corresponding legal notices on their homepages and to inform potential users about the data collection of the websites they visit. Request your consent.
For websites that have been translated into English, responsible parties often wonder whether they need to translate the various GDPR legal notices into English. First of all, you should know that the obligations related to the GDPR apply to all data processing companies as soon as EU nationals are involved. While there is no specific obligation to request a GDPR translation, the responsibility of businesses processing this information includes ensuring that users understand their rights.
What information needs to be translated into English under GDPR?
English is an international language and has the advantage of being understood by a relatively large number of people. As a result, this language is an appropriate communication medium for websites and other platforms that process personal data.
There is no legal obligation to translate the text of the GDPR into English. However, to meet companies' information and transparency obligations regarding personal data collection and use, all relevant topics on their respective websites must be translated. Additionally, publication in English helps avoid linguistic misunderstandings that can lead to legal action.
If a website uses cookies for database marketing purposes, it must clearly inform all internet users and obtain their explicit consent. For pages, it will only be displayed as an English translation. Not bilingual as there is no original language version – we recommend that you translate this agreement
Legal notices and general terms and conditions also require translation. This part also provides information about the identity of the currently responsible Data Protection Officer (English: Data Protection Officer / DPO) who is responsible for the company's data protection management, the terms and conditions of file collection, and the strategy. Personal Data Processing Practices.
When working with providers or partners on an international level, internal relevant guidelines for handling personal data must be translated and kept up to date. Both the Customer and the Company are responsible for any incompatibilities and violations in the processing process.
An informative list (view) with technical details provided by the GDPR. A list of processing activities is not required as they do not directly impact the end user and are used only to verify and prove the correctness of the procedures.
Translation of the GDPR into English: terminology specificities to be observed
Translation of texts related to personal information protection cannot be carried out by machines alone. Each sentence should be reproduced as faithfully as possible to the original text (faithful to the original text), taking into account the peculiarities of the English language. This is only possible with technical translations.
Public authorities involved in this already publish terminology relevant to different countries, but applying them in context requires sound knowledge of the technical and legal background and Only experts can provide this. In particular, requests for consent should be crafted in a clear, user-friendly and optimized manner so that Internet users can exercise their right to consent or not in an informed manner. This applies to the use of cookies, newsletter subscriptions and the identification/signature of legally valid forms. Irrespective of the national language, EU law requires consent to be voluntary and explicit, or hidden and coercive (e.g. by using terms that are unfamiliar or misleading to Internet users, or by pre-marking decision fields. (e.g. using already established options such as ). ).
The biggest risk when translating the GDPR into English is that terms may lose or change meaning when translated. In the world of translation, this phenomenon is called “lost in translation,” and it manifests itself as a difference in the understanding (horizon of meaning) between the original text and the target text. The content is legally binding, so each sentence can be enforced as a contract against the company. In layman's terms, this means that if users feel that they are being exploited due to linguistic misunderstandings (e.g. due to inaccuracies), they can sue the organization/company that processes such personal data. Masu.
The need for professional translation of GDPR
While machine translation tools are useful in everyday life, they are by no means suitable for translating GDPR into English. The processes carried out by this software do not take into account technical and legal functions. The use of experts in this field is necessary to ensure a result that meets expectations within the confines of applicable law.
Apart from the quality of translations produced by professionals, there is another benefit in the advisory ability of professional translators who inform businesses and clients of the necessary cultural characteristics of the target language. Moreover, the creativity that begins with manual translation allows the resulting text to be made “more readable”, especially since the need for clarity in the use of expressions is taken into account.
Professional translations by subject matter experts represent a long-term investment. This is because it positively impacts the client's reputation (e.g. brand reputation) while being protected from the risk of meaning distortion and having high-quality content.
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Answers to your GDPR translation questions
GDPR is the abbreviation for Data Protection Regulation (English: General Data Protection Commission / GDPR).
GDPR is the regulation that forms the basis for the processing and use of personal data in the European Union.
