platform-guideline checked
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.
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. |
Evidence Role
This source is treated as platform-guideline evidence. Use it to validate the decision rules above, not as a visual style reference.
Publisher: Information Commissioner's Office. Last checked: .