In a DPIA, which activity is essential?

In a DPIA, which activity is essential?

• A. Identifying and mitigating privacy risks in data processing activities involving PHI or sensitive data.
• B. Increasing data sharing without consent.
• C. A process to assess privacy risks and mitigate them when processing PHI or sensitive data.
• D. Conducting a general IT risk assessment without privacy focus.

Answer: (D)

DPIA centers on evaluating privacy risks that arise when processing PHI or sensitive data and putting safeguards in place to mitigate those risks. It’s a structured, ongoing process that asks what privacy harms could occur, how likely they are, and how severe their impact would be, then identifies measures to reduce or eliminate those risks before and during processing. This is privacy-specific work—addressing data subjects’ rights, data minimization, access controls, encryption, and retention limits—rather than a general IT risk check. It’s not about increasing data sharing without consent or a broad IT risk assessment without a privacy focus. The essential activity is conducting a privacy risk assessment and applying mitigations for PHI or sensitive data.

DPIA centers on evaluating privacy risks that arise when processing PHI or sensitive data and putting safeguards in place to mitigate those risks. It’s a structured, ongoing process that asks what privacy harms could occur, how likely they are, and how severe their impact would be, then identifies measures to reduce or eliminate those risks before and during processing. This is privacy-specific work—addressing data subjects’ rights, data minimization, access controls, encryption, and retention limits—rather than a general IT risk check. It’s not about increasing data sharing without consent or a broad IT risk assessment without a privacy focus. The essential activity is conducting a privacy risk assessment and applying mitigations for PHI or sensitive data.