What is one significant impact of GDPR on research involving personal data?

The impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on research involving personal data is primarily characterized by its stringent requirements for data processing and the necessity of obtaining informed consent. Under the GDPR, researchers must ensure that they collect and process personal data transparently and ethically, which includes clearly informing individuals about how their data will be used and obtaining their explicit permission before any data collection can take place.

This regulation is aimed at protecting individuals' privacy and giving them more control over their personal data in a digital environment that increasingly values data-driven research. In the context of research, this means that researchers must often put considerable effort into developing consent mechanisms and ensuring that their data processing activities comply with GDPR's principles, such as data minimization, purpose limitation, and the rights of data subjects.

The other options do not accurately reflect the essence of GDPR. It does not eliminate the need for consent, does not permit unrestricted data collection, and does not simplify data storage without regulations. These aspects highlight the comprehensive and protective nature of the GDPR, emphasizing ethical considerations in data handling.