Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

New Personal Data Protection Law in Saudi Arabia

New Personal Data Protection Law in Saudi Arabia

A new Personal Data Protection Law ("PDP Law"), promulgated by Royal Decree M/19 of 9/2/1443H, corresponding to 16 September 2021, is due to come into force in the Kingdom from 23 March 2022 (the "Effective Date") and will require most businesses to make significant changes to the way they collect, store and process personal data. Businesses will also need to establish compliant procedures and policies and to stop certain practices.
The PDP Law applies to the processing of personal data related to individuals that takes place in the Kingdom, including processing of personal data of KSA residents by any party outside the Kingdom. "Processing" for these purposes includes collection of, storing, modifying, using, disclosing, transferring, blocking and destroying personal data.

The main obligations under the PDP Law apply to any public entity, business or individual that specifies the purpose and manner of processing personal data (the "Controlling Party"), whether that party processes it by themselves or has it processed by others. The Controlling Party is distinguished from the "Processing Party", which includes any public entity, business, or individual that processes personal data for the Controlling Party.

As an example of the distinction, if a company asks another company (the "Payroll Provider") to pay the wages of its employees, tells the Payroll Provider when the wages should be paid, and provides the Payroll Provider with all relevant details, then the first company is the Controlling Party and the Payroll Provider is the Processing Party. Processing of personal data by individuals for purposes that do not exceed personal or family use is excluded from the scope of the PDP Law.

Controlling Parties must register with the responsible authority (initially the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA)). Personal data owners' rights to access, to seek correction of and require destruction of their personal data must be respected and they must be informed of the grounds, purpose and other aspects of the processing of their personal data. The Controlling Party must adopt a personal data privacy policy and keep records of processing, minimise data collected and report data breaches. Entities outside the Kingdom that are subject to the PDP Law must appoint a representative in the Kingdom (although the authority may defer this obligation for up to five years).

Processing will generally require the consent of the personal data owner unless it relates to the implementation of an agreement with the personal data owner, or to a specific interest of the personal data owner, where it is impossible or difficult to contact them.

The Controlling Party may not transfer personal data outside the Kingdom or disclose it to a party outside the Kingdom, other than in implementation of a convention to which the Kingdom is a party, to serve the interests of the Kingdom, to preserve the life of the personal data owner (or their vital interests), or to prevent, examine or treat an infection.

The Executive Regulations, which must be issued by the Effective Date, will specify important details regarding the new regime, and could in certain areas introduce further exceptions to the restrictions contained in the PDP Law, including other circumstances in which personal data can be transferred outside the Kingdom.

Controlling Parties have one year from the Effective Date to comply with the PDP Law.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×