Many privacy and data protection laws around the world require organizations to designate a data protection officer or similar role, such as privacy officer, to translate legal obligations into reality and to be accountable for compliance.

This chart catalogues global requirements and provides links to the relevant laws, along with an overview of the covered entities under each law. It details how the DPO position should be structured and positioned within the organization, the DPO’s responsibilities and necessary qualifications, and whether organizations are required to notify the country’s data protection authority of the DPO’s appointment and/or publish the DPO’s contact information.

If you are aware of additional information that should be included here, please email the IAPP’s Research Center at research@iapp.org.