Child Verification System in Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules
Context:
The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules propose a child verification system to ensure minors do not access social media or age-restricted online services without parental consent.
Relevance:
GS-02 (Government policies and interventions)
Major Provisions of the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules
- Parental Consent for Children’s Data
- Social media and online platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before allowing children to create accounts.
- Parents’ age and identity must be validated using government-issued IDs.
- Exceptions: Health, mental health establishments, educational institutions, and daycare centres are exempt from this requirement.
- Data Fiduciaries
- Definition:
- “Data fiduciaries” are entities responsible for collecting and processing personal data.
- Significant Data Fiduciaries (SDFs) handle high volumes of sensitive data that impact national security, sovereignty, or public order.
- Data Retention: Data must be retained only for the duration of consent and deleted afterward.
- Fiduciaries must implement encryption and access controls and monitor unauthorised access.
- Definition:
- Consent Management
- They are those entities managing consent records that must adhere to strict verification standards.
- Fiduciaries must provide mechanisms to address grievances and facilitate consent withdrawal.
- Data Localisation
- Certain personal and traffic data cannot be transferred outside India.
- A government committee will classify data categories restricted from cross-border transfer.
- Data Breach Reporting
- Fiduciaries must inform affected users and the Data Protection Board of breaches, specifying the breach’s nature, timing, and mitigation steps.
- All breaches, whether minor or major, must be reported.
- Safeguards for Government Data Processing
- Government agencies must lawfully process citizen data, with safeguards to address concerns about exemptions for national security and public order.
Importance:
- Safeguards for Minors: Prevents unauthorised access to harmful online content.
- Enhanced Privacy: Tokenisation protects user data from being fully disclosed.
- Digital Infrastructure: Leverages India’s robust digital architecture like Aadhaar for seamless implementation.
- Citizen-Centric Approach: Reflects India’s focus on protecting personal data while enabling growth and inclusivity.
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