National Data Governance Platform

The National Data Governance Platform is a national electronic platform aimed at governing data to protect it as a national asset and safeguard individuals' rights from unauthorized violations and breaches, in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Law applicable in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the National Transformation Program launched the National Data Governance Platform on November 27, 2023.

In its initial phase, the National Data Governance Platform focuses on governing personal data by providing a range of electronic services. It supports beneficiaries from the public and private sectors, as well as individuals, by offering tools, guidelines, and consulting services to ensure compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law and its executive regulations. SDAIA is the competent authority overseeing the implementation of the law and its regulations by defining appropriate tools and mechanisms, such as launching the platform and establishing a national registry for control entities.

The National Data Governance Platform aims to safeguard individual privacy and empower individuals to exercise their rights regarding personal data processing. It contributes to protecting data from breaches and violations, enhances national data sovereignty, and ensures privacy for individuals when their data is processed outside the Kingdom. Additionally, it establishes a national registry for control entities and strengthens trust in transactions and commercial dealings within the Saudi market by implementing national data governance that protects stakeholders' rights.

The National Data Governance Platform offers several services, including the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) service. This tool enables control entities to analyze the impact of processing personal data in the products and services they provide. It defines the scope and objectives of the processing, identifies the necessary legal justifications, assesses the risks associated with personal data processing based on their likelihood and impact, and proposes solutions and appropriate measures to mitigate and prevent these risks.

The platform also provides a data breach notification service, allowing entities to report incidents within seventy-two hours of discovery, particularly if they harm personal data or the individual concerned, or violate their rights or interests. Additionally, it offers legal support to assist government entities in understanding the Personal Data Protection Law and its regulations, providing guidance on relevant evidence and regulations to ensure effective implementation and achieve the objectives. Furthermore, the platform includes a complaint submission service.

The platform includes a guidance tool to determine the necessity of appointing a Personal Data Protection Officer, a self-assessment tool for compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law and its regulations, and a self-assessment tool for AI ethics, designed to enable entities to conduct a comprehensive analysis of their adherence to ethical standards in the development and application of artificial intelligence technologies.