A Critical Appraisal of Big Data Analytics within the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Landscape

Big data have benefits for society and individuals in health, scientific research, the environment and other specific areas, however, it is believed that there are growing threats, considering the potential impact of processing of large amounts of data, on the rights and freedoms of individuals particularly in respect of their data. Corporations are using new methods for massive collection, instant transmission, use and re-use of personal information for purposes that were not previously established. This places the data protection principles under strains and a discussion on their compatibility is imminent. This thesis intends to look into these issues as to contribute to the debate on the implication of the data protection law (GDPR) on big data analytics.