General Data Protection Regulation: The Determinants of Individuals' Experience and Satisfaction

Given how little knowledge there is about individuals’ perspectives on legal mechanisms aiming to protect privacy and the security of data, the research objective of this study is to examine individuals' experience of GDPR practices. To explore the determinants of experience, the study draws on evidence from the literature on IS management and legal research, which enabled us to identify three groups of factors, namely, implementation, privacy concerns and trust, and accountability. Based on 540 responses, path analysis showed that perceived ef-fectiveness, data use transparency, trust in the GDPR, trust in how organisations comply with the GDPR and governmental accountability are positively related to experience. In turn, this translates into satisfaction with the legal framework and satisfaction with organisations that adhere to it. The findings contribute to the literature on legal privacy-preserving mechanisms, by providing a user’s view on the framework implications. The implications for policymakers are discussed.