Regulator

A government authority responsible for enforcing privacy and data protection laws, investigating complaints, issuing guidance, and imposing penalties for non-compliance. Different jurisdictions have different regulatory structures. In the EU, each member state has a Data Protection Authority (DPA) that enforces GDPR, with the European Data Protection Board coordinating cross-border matters. The UK has the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). In the U.S., enforcement is fragmented—the Federal Trade Commission enforces privacy at the federal level, state attorneys general enforce state laws like CCPA, and sector-specific regulators oversee industries like healthcare (HHS for HIPAA) and finance (SEC, CFPB). Regulators conduct investigations, issue corrective orders, impose fines, publish guidance documents, approve Binding Corporate Rules, and handle data subject complaints. Organizations should monitor their applicable regulators' guidance, participate in consultations when possible, and understand enforcement priorities to guide compliance efforts.