LIA - Legitimate Interest Assessment

Determining whether ‘Legitimate Interest’ is a valid legal basis for processing personal data can be a complex task for organizations. Conducting a thorough Legitimate Interest Assessment (LIA), also known as a Balancing Test, is essential to ensure compliance with data protection regulations. With RESPONSUM, you can easily carry out your LIA, streamlining the process and ensuring that your organization’s data processing activities are lawful and compliant.

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Simplify and speed up your LIAs

Automatically generate risks

Whenever you complete a Legitimate Interest Assessment, Responsum will automatically generate risks associated to that LIA, which you can further manage in our Risk Management module.

Linked to your RoPA

Whenever you select 'Legitimate Interest' as a legal basis in your ROPA, a LIA will be triggered automatically, so you're sure you have covered all your bases in case of an audit.

Get the right information from the business

Enhance communication with other departments by immediately reaching out to colleagues through our built-in communication / task delegation features.

Automated balance score

Responsum will immediately calculate the results of your balancing test, so you can take appropriate actions.

"After a year of use, Responsum feels like a once-a-week part-time law student doing the administrative work for our privacy team."

What is Legitimate Interest?

According to the GDPR, legitimate interest is one of six legal bases you can use to process personal data. When personal data is being processed based on legitimate interest, you should perform a legitimate interest assessment – also known as LIA. This is a kind of risk assessment that determines if it is a proper legal basis for processing.

Legitimate interest defers from the other bases because it does not have a particular purpose and it’s not based on consent. It is an easy go-to base when the others do not fit. To avoid misuse or fines, an LIA is recommended to help affirm that legitimate interest is a proper base.

When a LIA is conducted, you demonstrate that you have done your research in confirming the legitimacy of your processing. It proves that you are compliant and it helps you to align with the accountability principle.

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Challenges of Legitimate Interest Assessments

Specific purpose

When using legitimate interest as a lawful base, you need to be specific about the purpose of processing, avoiding being vague and unclear. The processing must be necessary for that purpose.

Receiving information in time

Often, the biggest time-consumer is receiving information from colleagues. Everyone is busy, and it’s up to the privacy team to properly follow up on their requests.

Past actions documentation

In order to be compliant and meet the accountability requirement in GDPR, organizations are required to document their past assessments and actions – not an easy feat in a spreadsheet.

Blog Article

Who Does GDPR Apply To?

If you’re processing the personal data of anyone in the EU—regardless of where your business operates—you’re likely on the hook. But let’s break it down more thoroughly, because the real question isn’t just who GDPR applies to, but why it matters and how you can stay compliant without losing your mind (or your lunch break).

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LIA FAQs

What is a Legitimate Interest Assessment (LIA)?

A Legitimate Interest Assessment is a tool used to determine if legitimate interest is a valid legal basis for data processing under GDPR. Responsum offers a structured LIA workflow that helps privacy teams document decisions clearly and consistently.

When is a Legitimate Interest Assessment required?

An LIA is required when relying on legitimate interest as your legal basis for processing personal data. Responsum ensures these assessments are completed and stored in one central location for audit-readiness.

What are the three parts of a Legitimate Interest Assessment?

An LIA includes the purpose test, necessity test, and balancing test. Responsum walks users through each step with pre-defined fields and guidance.

What is the balancing test in an LIA?

The balancing test weighs the organization’s interest against the data subject’s rights and freedoms. Responsum provides scoring tools and risk indicators to support objective decisions.

Who should complete a Legitimate Interest Assessment?

The data controller, often with input from legal, privacy, or compliance teams, should complete the LIA. Responsum allows multiple stakeholders to collaborate in one secure, auditable environment.

Can legitimate interest be used for marketing?

Yes, but only if the individual’s rights do not override the organization’s interest and a proper LIA is completed. Responsum helps document and justify such processing to reduce compliance risk.

How long should an LIA be kept?

An LIA should be retained as long as the processing continues or for audit and accountability purposes. Responsum keeps all LIAs organized and version-controlled within its privacy management platform.

Discover how LIAs become a piece of cake!

Ready to experience the power of Responsum? Take the first step towards streamlined privacy management and data protection by trying Responsum for free today.

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