Who does GDPR apply to?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies not only to organizations based in the European Union but also to any data processors, regardless of their physical location, that offer goods or services to EU residents or monitor their behavior.

This means that businesses outside of the EU must comply with GDPR requirements if they engage with EU citizens, which includes handling their personal data. This extraterritorial applicability is a crucial aspect of GDPR, designed to protect the privacy and personal data of individuals residing in the EU, irrespective of where the data processing takes place.

In this context, options citing only organizations based in the EU or solely EU citizens do not reflect the comprehensive reach of GDPR. The regulation’s objective is to establish a standardized data protection framework across the EU while also considering the global nature of commerce and communication in today's digital economy. Choosing the correct answer—data processors not based in the EU that offer goods to EU citizens—accurately captures this global enforcement mechanism of the GDPR.