What This Guide Will Help You With
If you're running a website in 2025, chances are you're juggling more acronyms than a legal dictionary: GDPR, CCPA, DPDP, and WCAG.
Each of these regulations can apply to your business depending on:
- Where your visitors are coming from
- What data you collect
- Whether your site is accessible to users with disabilities
- And what kind of company you run (or plan to scale into)
But which ones actually apply to you, and what happens if you ignore them?
This in-depth comparison guide breaks it all down, no legalese, no fluff.
Mini Summary: This is your go-to survival guide for understanding which privacy and accessibility laws apply to your website in 2025. Perfect for founders, developers, legal teams, and marketers navigating the global compliance maze.
Table of Contents
- What Are GDPR, CCPA, DPDP, and WCAG?
- Quick Comparison Table
- Who Needs to Comply? A Role-by-Role Breakdown
- Key Differences: GDPR vs CCPA vs DPDP vs WCAG
- How to Know Which Applies to Your Website
- Checklist: Are You Compliant in 2025?
- AI-Powered Compliance Audits: Your Shortcut
- FAQs
- Free Compliance Check, Don't Risk It
What Are GDPR, CCPA, DPDP, and WCAG?
A Simple Breakdown for Humans, Not Lawyers
Let's clear the fog on these four heavy-hitting regulations:
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), EU + UK
GDPR is the gold standard for data privacy laws. It applies to any business handling personal data of EU or UK citizens, even if your company is located elsewhere. If you're collecting emails, using cookies, or running analytics in Europe, GDPR is your reality.
Read more about GDPR requirements
CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), USA (California)
CCPA focuses on protecting the personal data of California residents. It gives them the right to know what data is collected, opt-out of its sale, and request its deletion. California's economy is bigger than most countries, so this is a big one.
DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection Act), India
India's DPDP is the newest kid on the privacy block. Inspired by GDPR, it covers how businesses handle digital personal data of Indian users. With India being one of the largest digital markets, this law is one to watch.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), Global
WCAG isn't about data, but accessibility. These guidelines help ensure websites can be used by people with disabilities. Not a law itself, but failure to comply has triggered lawsuits globally, especially under ADA (US) and AODA (Canada).
Quick Comparison Table
| Criteria | GDPR | CCPA | DPDP | WCAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | EU/UK | California (USA) | India | Global |
| Data Type Covered | Personal data | Personal info | Digital personal data | Website content |
| Applies to | Any org w/ EU users | Businesses w/ CA users | Any org w/ Indian users | All websites |
| Penalties | Up to €20M | Up to $7,500 per violation | Up to INR 250 Cr | Legal risk varies |
| Opt-Out Required? | Yes | Yes (for data sale) | Yes (consent model) | N/A |
| Accessibility Focus? | No | No | No | Yes |
Who Needs to Comply?
A Role-by-Role Breakdown
"Wait, does this apply to me?" Spoiler alert: probably yes.
If your site collects, stores, or processes user data, or if you want to avoid lawsuits for lack of accessibility, keep reading.
1. Founders & Business Owners
If you're scaling globally or collecting data:
- GDPR: Marketing or selling to Europe? You're in.
- CCPA: Got traffic from California? Watch out.
- DPDP: India in your user base? You're covered.
- WCAG: If your site is public, you're responsible.
2. Developers & Product Managers
You make it happen:
- Consent banners, cookie blockers
- Accessible UI (keyboard nav, ARIA tags)
- Deletion/request systems
3. Legal Teams
You're the shield:
- Draft privacy policies
- Handle user requests
- Review third-party contracts
4. Marketing Teams
You're collecting leads, right?
- Cookie trackers (GA4, Hotjar)? GDPR says hello.
- Email forms without consent? That's a problem.
5. Agencies & SaaS Providers
Even if you're not the "owner," if you process user data or offer digital services, you're a data processor, and liable.
Explore how our AI-powered audits work for agencies
Key Differences: GDPR vs CCPA vs DPDP vs WCAG
Let's break it down like you're explaining to your dev team:
Jurisdiction
- GDPR: EU/UK, but applies globally if you're targeting them
- CCPA: California-based or targeting its users
- DPDP: Any business with Indian users
- WCAG: Global expectation, not region-locked
Focus
- GDPR, CCPA, DPDP: Data privacy
- WCAG: Accessibility for people with disabilities
User Rights
- GDPR: Access, delete, restrict, object, portability
- CCPA: Know, delete, opt-out
- DPDP: Withdraw consent, grievance, correction
- WCAG: No direct rights, but user empowerment
Penalties
- GDPR: Up to €20M or 4% of global revenue
- CCPA: $2,500 to $7,500 per violation
- DPDP: Up to INR 250 Cr (~$30M)
- WCAG: ADA lawsuits can reach millions
Complexity
- GDPR, CCPA, DPDP: Medium to High
- WCAG: Moderate if planned, high if retrofitted
How to Know Which Applies to Your Website
Here's a cheat sheet:
- GDPR: EU traffic, analytics, forms = yes
- CCPA: US/CA users, 50k+ records, data monetization = yes
- DPDP: India-based traffic, employees, or marketing = yes
- WCAG: Any public website = yes
Check your exposure instantly with a free AI-powered scan
Checklist: Are You Compliant in 2025?
Use this as your mini audit:
- Geo-targeted cookie consent banner
- Privacy policy with GDPR/CCPA/DPDP clauses
- Keyboard navigation + ARIA labels
- Alt text on all images
- "Do Not Sell My Info" link (CCPA)
- DSR portal (access/delete/correct)
- Vendor data sharing map
- AI-based audit (monthly)
AI-Powered Compliance Audits: Your Shortcut
Manual audits are like flossing: you know you should, but...
Auditzo changes that. In seconds, it crawls your website and flags:
- Non-compliant cookies, scripts, trackers
- Missing or misleading privacy notices
- WCAG accessibility violations
- Risky third-party data sharing
"We saved $75,000 in potential fines after using Auditzo to fix invisible issues our devs missed.", CMO, Ride Sharing App startup in Berlin
Not Sure Where You Stand?
Get a Free Audit with Actionable Fixes
If you're still guessing whether GDPR or WCAG apply to you, stop.
Run a Free Compliance Audit with Auditzo, no obligations, no legalese.
Takes few minutes. No credit card. Just clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between GDPR, CCPA, and DPDP?
GDPR = EU/UK. CCPA = California. DPDP = India. All are privacy laws with unique rights and enforcement models.
Is WCAG a law?
Not technically, but lawsuits (especially under ADA and AODA) reference WCAG compliance as the standard.
Do I need to comply with GDPR if I'm not in Europe?
Yes. If you collect EU user data, you fall under GDPR, regardless of your location.
Can I get sued for not following WCAG?
Yes. Many U.S. companies have faced ADA lawsuits for inaccessible websites.
Can AI tools like Auditzo help?
Absolutely. Auditzo scans, audits, and reports compliance gaps with GDPR, CCPA, DPDP, and WCAG.