Data protection as privilege—Factors to increase meaning of GDPR in vulnerable groups

The General Data Protection Regulation in the EU has potential to empower citizens towards data-based innovation and datafication. Realising this practise is challenging, mainly because not everyone capabilities, seemingly expected by lawmakers, make use of relevant legal provisions. This empirical study sets out investigate what can increase capabilities datafied societies understand exercise their rights data protection, as means participation socio-technical systems. We concentrate on vulnerable groups criticise GDPR regarding literacies intrinsic life goals instead instrumental means. expand vulnerability capability deprivation, based a dynamic understanding layered vulnerabilities. overcomes solely negative associations provides more constructive framing support everyone, including less literate or vulnerable. Based approach, we consider lacking achieve literacy. conducted interviews with representatives civil society organisations supporting different Flanders, Belgium. these insights, argue that approach leads most appropriate conversion factors for groups: (a) at right place time, (b) broader structures from authorities, (c) focus clear communication reader mind.