Consent: who gets your data?
Ask first, and say what, why and who.
Whose photo is it?
Kabir takes a funny photo of his friend Farhan. He wants to post it in the class group. What should he do?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Before you collect data about a person, ask them. Informed consent means they agree freely after hearing what, why and who.
Whose photo is it?
Kabir takes a funny photo of his friend Farhan. He wants to post it in the class group. What should he do?
- Post it, because he took the photo and it is his
- Ask Farhan first
- Post it, and delete it if Farhan complains
Who do you ask?
Each card is a situation with someone's data in it. Tap a group. Read the reason, then press Next card.
What, why and who
Some cards held one person's own details, like Zoya's photo or Tenzin's voice. For those, the answer was the same: ask that person first. A good ask says what you will collect, why, and who will see it.
A yes only counts if it is free, with no pressure. And when an app asks for your data, a trusted adult can help you decide.
Informed consent means saying yes freely, after hearing what data is collected, why, and who will see it.
In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 sets rules for using personal data. It asks for permission first in most cases. For a child under 18, it asks for a parent's or guardian's permission.
Notes
Informed consent means saying yes freely, after hearing what data is collected, why, and who will see it.
Ask first, say what, why and who, and accept a no. If an app asks for your data, ask a trusted adult.
Check yourself
Anil starts a project survey about how many hours his classmates sleep. What is the best way to begin?
Meera agreed to let her photo go on the class notice board. A week later she asks for it to come down. What should happen?
A free drawing app says it will keep your drawings and your voice to train its AI. What is a good first step?
- Quietly copy each friend's bedtime from their chat messages. Collecting data without telling people takes away their choice. They never agreed to this.
- Ask the teacher to order the whole class to answer in class. Pressure is not consent. People should be free to say no.
- Say what he collects, why, and who sees it, then let each choose — correct. Yes. That covers what, why and who, and it leaves the choice with each person.
- It stays up, because she already said yes to it. A yes is not for ever. People can change their mind, and a kind class listens.
- It comes down, because she can change her mind — correct. Yes. Consent can be taken back. Taking the photo down respects Meera's choice.
- It stays up if most of the class like the photo. A vote cannot decide for Meera. It is her photo, so it is her choice.
- Read what it collects with a trusted adult, then decide — correct. Yes. An adult can help you understand what, why and who, before you say yes.
- Tap Accept straight away, because a free app must be safe. Free does not mean safe. An app can collect your data even when it costs nothing.
- Type in an older age so that the app lets you in easily. Giving false details is not honest, and it does not make the app safer. Ask a trusted adult instead.