Sentinel Digital Desk
The government is making it mandatory for parents to give consent before children can open social media accounts. This new rule is part of the draft regulations under the Digital Data Protection Act, 2023.
Data-collecting entities must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing any child’s personal data. Without this approval, organisations cannot use or store children’s data.
The draft rules also cover consent processing for individuals and the responsibilities of data processing organisations. These regulations aim to ensure children's personal data is handled responsibly.
Although the draft rules don’t mention specific penalties for violations related to parental consent, the Act allows fines of up to ₹250 crore for data misuse by fiduciaries.
The government has invited objections and suggestions on the draft rules. Feedback can be submitted on the MyGov website (https://mygov.in).