Features of the Constitutional and Legal Regulation of the Protection of Personal Data in Foreign Countries

The article deals with the peculiarities of personal data protection, demarcates the concept of "personal data" from the concept of "information about the person", analyzes the international and national standards of data protection in foreign countries, explores the features of the American and European model of personal data protection. The rapid development of information technology and the active use of personal databases raises issues of privacy. Not the least role in the development of relevant processes is played by the global network "Internet". That is why, in recent years, the number of offenses related to the illegal collection, use and dissemination of personal information has increased. Currently, the legislation of foreign countries is undergoing significant changes, trying to develop and consolidate real mechanisms for the legal protection of personal data, as well as to regulate the circulation and dissemination of relevant information via the Internet. Despite the significant development of relevant issues in scientific circles, many issues of the system of interaction "Man - Internet" remain open and require further research and legislative regulation of the mechanism of personal information protection. The degree of protection of personal data reflects the level of fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms in the country. Each country's experience is multifaceted and has its own characteristics, which are affected by different approaches in the field of legal regulation of data protection, when the relevant rules of protection are reflected at the constitutional or legislative level, within one basic law or by referring the relevant rules of personal data protection to different sectoral laws and acts. Relevant conclusions on the need to improve the constitutional and legal regulation of personal data protection in the conditions of constant development of information technologies have been made