Code of Consent

The government has unveiled a framework to implement the DPDP Act, 2023, shortlisting six companies to develop consent management systems

- By SAMIDHA JAIN

THE MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS and Information Technology (MeitY) recently initiated a new framework built around the idea of 'consent as a live signal' to operationalise the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) 2023.

The DPDP Act is India's first comprehensive data privacy law. Six companies have been shortlisted in the first round of its 'Code for Consent' challenge to develop real-world Consent Management Systems (CMS). Run by the National e-Governance Division and the MeitY Startup Hub, the challenge aims to surface practical tech that can handle user consent under the new law. The selected teams are Jio, IDfy, Redacto, Zoop, Concur, and Aurelion. The shortlisted teams now move into a three-month build phase to make working prototypes, where their solutions will be tested through sprints focussed on real-world performance like usability, compliance and scalability.

Each team is working off a clear playbook: A Business Requirements Document (BRD) from the ministry that lays out what the system needs to do. This includes secure APIs for real-time consent checks, and tools to let users modify or revoke consent easily. With this initiative, the government is not just looking for demos, but is testing ideas that could shape data policies and future infrastructure for digital consent.

WHAT IS THE 'CODE FOR CONSENT' CHALLENGE?

The 'Code for Consent' challenge is Meity's initiative to solidify how consent should be captured, stored, and used in the digital world. According to Ashok Hariharan, CEO and co-founder, IDfy, it’s about giving individuals the power to decide who gets access to their data, for what purpose, and for how long. Some critical areas in which consent is relevant include financial services, healthcare, education, and ecommerce, where digital personal data is frequently shared and processed.