GDPR: which data is sensitive?

Sensitive data under GDPR, often called special category data, covers things like race, political views, religion, trade union membership, genetic and biometric data, health information, and details about someone’s sex life or sexual orientation. Because this data is so sensitive, it’s protected by stricter rules.

Companies need to get clear consent from people before processing this data, or they need a strong legal reason to do so, like protecting someone’s vital interests or meeting legal obligations.