Jurisdiction

The official power or authority of a legal body to make decisions, enforce laws, and exercise control over specific geographic areas, subjects, or persons. In privacy law, jurisdiction determines which laws apply, which regulators have authority, and where disputes are resolved. Jurisdiction can be territorial (based on where processing occurs or where individuals are located), personal (based on characteristics of the organization or individuals), or subject-matter (based on the type of activity). Modern privacy laws often have broad jurisdictional reach—GDPR applies to processing of EU residents' data regardless of where the processor is located. Understanding applicable jurisdictions is crucial for compliance because organizations may need to satisfy multiple overlapping legal regimes. Organizations should identify which jurisdictions' laws apply to their activities, determine which regulators have authority, understand conflicting jurisdiction issues, implement compliance for all applicable jurisdictions, and document jurisdictional analysis.