Articles 12, 13 & 14 GDPR : Transparency Principles and Information to Data Subjects

General Transparency and Accessibility Requirements (Art. 12 GDPR)

Article 12(1) requires the controller to take appropriate measures to provide any information and communication relating to processing in a concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language.

EDPB/WP29 Guidelines WP260 recommend a layered information approach to avoid information fatigue while ensuring immediate, seamless access to exhaustive details.

Transparency requires that users genuinely understand the practical consequences of data collection. Simply scattering notices across various account settings does not satisfy Articles 12 and 13 when individuals cannot readily realize that location data is being processed to infer personal interests or serve personalized ads (Irish DPC final decision of 21 September 2026, Google Ireland).

• Clear, plain and tailored language adapted to the target audience (in particular children);
• Provided in writing or by other means, including electronic means where appropriate;
• Free of charge as a matter of statutory principle for information and communications regarding rights.

Mandatory Legal Notice Content (Arts. 13 & 14 GDPR)

Privacy policies and collection forms must mandatorily state the following information:

• Identity and contact details of the controller and the Data Protection Officer (DPO) where applicable;
• Specific purposes of the processing and statutory legal basis (Art. 6 / 9);
• Legitimate interests pursued where processing is based on Article 6(1)(f);
• Recipients or categories of recipients of the personal data;
• Transfers of data to third countries outside the EEA and appropriate safeguards (SCCs, adequacy decisions);
• Storage retention periods or the criteria used to determine that period;
• Existence of all data subject rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection, restriction, portability) and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (APD/GBA, CNIL, DPC).

Smart glasses — EDPB statement (13 October 2026)

The statement recommends combining noticeable, effective signals that are hard to defeat to alert bystanders. An LED or proximity notification alone does not replace all information required by Articles 12–14; sensitive settings need particular attention (§§ 10, 20–26).

• Assess safeguards in light of the uses and individuals concerned.

Adopted statement, preliminary guidance: no new standalone obligations.

Verified Official Sources

Associated Operational Micro-Tools

See Also in the Legal Framework