The impact of dark data on Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs)

Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) – they’re meant to keep everyone accountable in our digital-driven lives, but let’s be realistic: they can feel like an endless game of untangling a ball of wool. Annoying, messy, and always more complicated than you hoped. As these requests keep flooding in, they pile on the pressure, pulling your team away from the things that really matter. It's like trying to juggle too many plates – something’s bound to fall.

But what if you could turn that chaos into something more manageable? ActiveNav electronic data discovery takes care of your dark data, and completely changes how you handle it. With the right tools, those DSARs can go from a headache to something you can handle with ease. Now that’s the kind of change organisations really need.

The rising tide of DSAR

Since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in 2018, DSARs have become more than just a compliance requirement. They’ve become an integral part of the way organisations handle personal data and respond to the growing demands of customers who want to know exactly what data is being stored and how it’s being used.

According to the 2023 EY Law survey, 60% of respondents reported an increase in DSARs over the past year , and more than half had received complaints from data subjects about how their requests were handled. These requests aren’t just a minor inconvenience – they’re becoming a significant operational burden. For many organisations, DSARs are an expensive and time-consuming process, often involving multiple departments such as HR, legal, IT, and compliance.

"...major headache..."

Claims management companies (CMCs) are also a growing source of frustration. Their increasing involvement in submitting bulk DSARs adds complexity and stress, forcing companies to sift through large volumes of data within tight deadlines. It’s no wonder 78% of participants in a recent Ascertus survey described DSARs as a "major headache" and a significant drain on resources.

The environmental and financial costs of dark data

It’s easy to focus solely on the operational side of DSARs, but the real cost goes far beyond just time and manpower. The vast quantities of dark data stored by organisations, much of it disorganised and unstructured, also carry a hefty environmental price tag. Storing unnecessary dark data contributes to energy consumption, which in turn fuels the growing carbon footprint of data centres worldwide.

As companies collect more and more data, their storage costs and environmental impact skyrocket. Data centres are energy-hungry operations, and the larger the volume of data, the greater the power needed to store and manage it. ActiveNav helps organisations to proactively identify and eliminate dark data – the irrelevant, outdated, or redundant information that bloats storage systems and adds to your carbon footprint.

By implementing a robust data management strategy with ActiveNav, organisations can streamline their data storage, reduce their environmental impact, and ensure that only relevant, useful information is retained. This is not just about meeting compliance requirements; it’s about building a sustainable future for your business.

How ActiveNav simplifies the DSAR process

ActiveNav’s approach to data management brings clarity to a process that is often shrouded in confusion. Its software enables organisations to identify, classify, and manage unstructured data, making the retrieval process for DSARs significantly more efficient. Instead of manually sifting through endless files and folders, ActiveNav automates much of the legwork, allowing your teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

Imagine being able to locate the exact data needed for a DSAR without the stress and chaos of sorting through outdated, irrelevant information. With ActiveNav, you can create a centralised view of your data, ensuring that everything is organised, compliant, and ready to go when a DSAR lands in your inbox. 

DSAR compliance

While the operational and environmental benefits of ActiveNav electronic data discovery are clear, it’s also worth considering the potential cost of non-compliance with DSAR regulations. Failing to respond to a DSAR within the required timeframe, or providing incomplete information, can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.

With the rising number of DSARs and the growing involvement of CMCs, organisations are under increasing scrutiny to ensure their processes are water-tight. ActiveNav helps organisations mitigate these risks by ensuring they can quickly locate and provide the data requested, accurately and within the legal timeframes.

Time, money, and peace of mind

In a data-driven world, managing DSARs is not something that can be pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. It requires a strategic approach and the right tools to ensure that requests are handled efficiently, securely, and in compliance with regulations. ActiveNav not only makes this possible but does so while reducing the costs and environmental impact of storing vast amounts of data.

By streamlining your dark data management and automating much of the DSAR process, ActiveNav gives organisations the power to take control of their data, save valuable time, and ensure they’re always ready to respond to whatever the future holds. 

See also:

• See all the benefits of the ActiveNav electronic data discovery solution
• From data chaos to clarity: What is dark data?

FAQ

What is a data subject access request?

A Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) allows individuals to request access to the personal data organisations hold about them. Fulfilling DSARs can be complex, requiring thorough searches across vast, unstructured data repositories. ActiveNav electronic data discovery simplifies this process by automatically identifying, categorising, and extracting relevant personal information. Its advanced data discovery tools ensure swift and accurate responses, reducing the manual effort, time, and risk involved in compliance while enabling organisations to meet regulatory deadlines with ease.

What is the timeframe for a subject access request?

In most jurisdictions, organizations are required to respond to a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) within one month of receiving it. This timeframe can be extended by up to two additional months if the request is complex or involves a large volume of data. However, the organization must inform the requester of the extension within the initial one-month period and provide an explanation for the delay. These rules are commonly outlined in laws like the GDPR.