Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules: Parental Consent for Children's Online Accounts

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has released draft rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, mandating parental consent for children to join social media, gaming, and similar platforms. 

Data fiduciaries must verify parental identity using reliable credentials or digital tokens. Health professionals and educational institutions are exceptions. 

The rules also outline notice requirements for obtaining informed user consent and stipulate restrictions on transferring personal data outside India. Public comments on the draft rules are invited via the MyGov platform until February 18, 2025.

Earlier, countries like the US and Australia have implemented similar measures through their respective laws.