GDPR is not just a legal requirement—it is an engineering specification for how personal data must be handled throughout its lifecycle. For .NET developers, GDPR demands that data models support deletion, APIs expose data subject rights, and workflows implement consent management and purpose limitation.
The gap between GDPR compliance and technical reality emerges in data architecture. Organizations check compliance boxes (privacy policies, cookie banners, consent forms) while systems fail to implement the engineering controls that actually enforce privacy. A deletion request arrives, but personal data persists across databases, logs, message queues, and caches because the system was never designed to support it.
Privacy as a First-Class Design Property
GDPR compliance requires rethinking how .NET systems manage personal data. Data models must separate personal information from operational data. APIs must expose data access and deletion endpoints. Logging must avoid capturing sensitive information. Retention policies must execute automatically, not manually.
ISO/IEC 27701 becomes essential—it translates GDPR obligations into systematic control requirements that developers can implement, test, and audit.