Processing is almost anything you can do with the personal data. Processing covers collection, usage, publication storage, transfer, access or deletion of data.

This processing can be both automated, but also by manual actions.

Some examples of processing of personal data:

• Collecting email addresses for a newsletter subscription.
• Storing customer names and addresses in a database.
• Analyzing website usage data using cookies.
• Sharing employee contact information with payroll processing services.
• Recording customer inquiries in a customer relationship management (CRM) system.
• Using CCTV cameras to monitor activity in a store.
• Sending promotional emails to a list of subscribers.
• Conducting background checks on job applicants.
• Analyzing customer purchasing behavior for marketing purposes.
• Tracking employee attendance using biometric scanners.

It’s important to note that data protection regulations (such as GDPR) regulate the processing of personal data to ensure that an individual’s privacy rights are protected throughout the entire data processing lifecycle. This includes obtaining consent for processing (or having other legal grounds for processing), ensuring data security, and providing individuals with rights to access, rectify, and erase their personal data when necessary.