ICO: What is valid consent?
Defines consent as freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous, and based on clear affirmative action, with genuine choice, granular purposes, clear language, no pre-ticked boxes, and easy refusal or withdrawal.
What this source can teach
Use this source to understand a platform convention and the setting it was designed for.
- Start with the original. Open the source and find the guidance or example relevant to your task.
- Trace the connection. Use the claim notes below to see how this site applies the source to specific patterns.
- Check the setting. Compare the source's platform, people, and constraints with your own decision.
Pattern Decisions This Source Supports
| Pattern | Supported decision | Required contract | Claim note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consent prompt | Choose consent prompt when the user must actively opt in to a specific optional data use, communication, study, sharing arrangement, personalization feature, AI training use, or sensitive-data processing purpose. | The prompt appears before optional processing begins and states exactly what agreeing enables. | Supports freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous consent, clear affirmative action, genuine choice, granular purposes, clear language, no pre-ticked boxes, and no inactivity-based consent. |
| Dark-pattern consent | Flag this anti-pattern when accepting optional consent is one click but declining, customizing, or withdrawing requires extra pages, hidden links, confusing labels, or repeated confirmation. | Acceptance, rejection, customization, and withdrawal must be reachable with comparable effort for optional purposes. | Supports freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous consent, clear affirmative action, genuine choice, granular purposes, clear language, no pre-ticked boxes, and no inactivity-based consent. |
Comparisons supported by this source
- Consent prompt vs cookie banner vs preference center vs notification preferences vs permission sharing vs human approval gate
Supports freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous consent, clear affirmative action, genuine choice, granular purposes, clear language, and no pre-ticked boxes or inactivity.
- Dark-pattern consent vs consent prompt vs cookie consent vs cookie banner vs legal acceptance vs preference center
Supports freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous consent, clear affirmative action, genuine choice, granular purposes, no pre-ticked boxes, and no inactivity-based consent.
Evidence Role
This source is treated as platform-guideline evidence. Its value comes from the specific claims and setting described above.
Publisher: Information Commissioner's Office. Last checked: .