# GDPR data model: consent, Privacy Center and Shield

*Platform Data Architect Study Guide · Data Governance · Last updated October 26, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-data-architect/data-governance/gdpr-data-model-consent-privacy-center-and-shield*

How to model GDPR privacy with the Individual and consent objects, erase or mask data with Privacy Center and Data 360 requests, find and classify personal data, and protect it with Shield Platform Encryption, sandbox masking and data minimization.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Data Architect
- Exam section: Data Governance
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-data-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a customer scenario, recommend an approach for designing a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant data model. Discuss the various options to identify, classify, and protect personal and sensitive information.

## What the exam expects

- Model privacy preferences and consent with the Individual and consent objects, choosing channel-level or address-level consent from the requirement.
- Recommend how erasure is honoured: a process acting on ShouldForget, a Privacy Center Right to Be Forgotten policy (delete or mask, child objects, archived history), or a Data 360 (formerly Data Cloud) request through the Consent API.
- Identify personal data with Data Detect, classify it, and map each tier to a real control.
- Protect data with Shield Platform Encryption and know what encryption does not do.
- Apply privacy by design: minimization, purpose limitation, masked or synthetic sandbox data, residency.

Key terms: **Individual** (privacy record linked to leads, contacts, person accounts and users); **Contact Point Consent** (consent for one address or number); **Right to Be Forgotten policy** (Privacy Center policy that deletes or masks a person's data); **probabilistic encryption** (strongest scheme, no filtering); **data minimization** (collect only what a stated purpose needs).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual availability | Requires Data Protection and Privacy | [Individual](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_individual.htm) |
| ShouldForget | A preference; you implement the process | [Consent Objects](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=consent_mgmt_fields.htm) |
| RTBF lookup children | Nulled unless added to the policy | [RTBF Policies](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.create_rtbf_policies.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Record delete | FieldHistoryArchive copy remains | [Field Audit Trail](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.field_audit_trail.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Data 360 requests | Consent API, source individual profiles | [Data Subject Rights](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.c360_a_data_subject_rights.htm&language=en_US) |
| Field Usage | Doesn't hide or expose the field | [Data Classification](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.data_classification_metadata_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Data Detect licence | Shield or Data Detect add-on | [Data Detect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sf.einstein_data_detect.htm&type=5) |
| Existing data | Not encrypted automatically | [Encryption Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.security_pe_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Data Mask package | Read-only from December 31, 2026 | [Data Mask Retirement](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=005299299&language=en_US&type=1) |

## Check yourself

- Why is setting ShouldForget alone not enough?
- When should a field use deterministic encryption?
- Which profile does a Data 360 deletion request target under identity resolution?
- Why can a field stay unencrypted after its policy is enabled?

## Sources

- [Consent Management Objects](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=consent_mgmt_fields.htm)
- [Individual](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_individual.htm)
- [Privacy Center and Data Governance Laws](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.privacy_center_and_data_governance_laws.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create Right to Be Forgotten Policies](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.create_rtbf_policies.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Data Subject Rights](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.c360_a_data_subject_rights.htm&language=en_US)
- [Data Classification Metadata Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.data_classification_metadata_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Trust (Well-Architected)](https://architect.salesforce.com/docs/architect/well-architected/guide/trust.html)
- [Salesforce Shield](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.salesforce_shield.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Data Detect](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sf.einstein_data_detect.htm&type=5)
- [Shield Platform Encryption Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.security_pe_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Encrypt Data with the Deterministic Encryption Scheme](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.security_pe_deterministic_encrypt.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Field Audit Trail](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.field_audit_trail.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Secure Your Sandbox Data with Salesforce Data Mask (Legacy)](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.data_mask_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Data Mask Managed Package Retirement](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=005299299&language=en_US&type=1)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 17 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Data Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams