The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect in May 2018 and will apply to all organizations that process personal data. It requires organizations to be accountable, transparent, and protect individuals' rights regarding their personal data. Organizations must have a lawful basis for processing personal data, obtain consent for marketing communications, and provide privacy notices describing how data will be handled. The GDPR also imposes requirements for security policies, data protection officers, impact assessments, and penalties for non-compliance.