Granular, purpose-based consent collection is a cornerstone of DPDPA compliance. Learn how to design consent workflows that are both compliant and user-friendly.
Consent management under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act is more nuanced than most organisations initially realise. DPDPA requires consent to be free, specific, informed, unconditional, and unambiguous, with each data processing purpose requiring its own explicit consent. Getting this right is both a legal necessity and a user experience challenge.
What DPDPA Requires
Unlike some legacy approaches where a single "I agree" checkbox covers all data processing, DPDPA mandates purpose-specific consent. If you collect data for order fulfilment and also want to use it for marketing, those are two separate consent requests. Each must clearly describe the purpose, the data involved, and the user's right to withdraw. Pre-checked boxes and bundled consents are explicitly non-compliant.
Consent records must also be maintained with sufficient detail to demonstrate compliance during audits. This includes timestamps, the specific notice shown to the user, the version of your privacy policy at the time, and the method of consent collection.
Designing User-Friendly Consent Flows
The challenge is collecting granular consent without creating friction that drives users away. Effective consent interfaces use progressive disclosure: showing essential consent requests upfront and deferring optional ones to contextually appropriate moments. For example, marketing consent can be requested when a user first interacts with a promotional feature, rather than during account creation.
Clear, plain-language notices make a significant difference. Replace legal jargon with simple explanations of what data you need, why you need it, and what happens if the user declines. Visual indicators showing which consents are active and how to modify them build confidence.
Automating Consent Lifecycle
Consent is not a one-time event. Users can withdraw consent at any time, and your systems must respond accordingly, stopping the relevant data processing and propagating the withdrawal across all downstream systems. Automating this lifecycle, from collection through withdrawal to re-consent, reduces operational burden and ensures consistent compliance.
