Why in news
- Ed-tech platforms face high compliance operational costs under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 due to strict child data protection obligations.
What is the DPDP Act, 2023?
- Parent statutory framework governing processing of digital personal data in India.
- Establishes Data Protection Board of India and defines duties for Data Fiduciaries processing personal data.
Key Provisions Regulating Minors' Data
- Section 9 mandates Data Fiduciaries to obtain verifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian before processing data of children (below 18 years).
- Prohibits tracking, behavioral monitoring, or targeted advertising directed at children.
- Before: Digital platforms processed student telemetry and learning analytics under standard terms of service without age-gated verification.
- After: Mandatory identity and age-verification systems must be built into onboard workflows.
Why it matters
- Protects minors' privacy rights but increases technical and financial overhead for digital learning platforms handling student data.
Key terms
Data Fiduciary
Entity or individual that determines the purpose and means of processing personal data under the DPDP Act.
Verifiable Parental Consent
Mechanism requiring positive identification and consent from a legal guardian prior to processing a child's personal data.
Prelims facts
- The DPDP Act, 2023 defines a child as an individual who has not completed 18 years of age.
Mains discussion
- Balancing data privacy enforcement with compliance overheads for startups and digital services.
Source: The Hindu Business
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2024 · Q10 · GS III · 10 marks
Describe the context and salient feature of Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. -
2019 · Q88 · General Studies · 2 marks
Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as 'General Data Protection Regulation' in April 2016 and started implementation of its from 25th May, 2018? -
2018 · Q19 · GS III · 15 marks
Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cyber-crimes. The Justice B. N. Srikrishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses of the Report relating to protection of personal data in cyber space? (250 Words, 15 Marks).