Abstract

Personal data processing in a big data environment gives rise to a question concerning topicality of personal data protection principles, primarily the principle of purpose limitation. This article discusses the meaning and contents of the principle of purpose limitation in the European personal data protection law. This principle, although not uniformly implemented in EU Member States, retains its topicality in the meaning awarded to it by the Working Party in its Opinion 03/2013 providing it with appropriate flexibility and giving guarantees for the rights of persons whose data are processed.