Glossary A–ZLetter C
Consent (GDPR)
Consent under the GDPR is a freely given, informed and unambiguous indication by which a person agrees to the processing of their data for a specific purpose.
It is one of several legal bases. The definition is in Article 4(11) and the conditions in Article 7.
With screens, consent becomes relevant when photos of staff or guests are shown, when visitors sign up for a newsletter at a terminal, or when people waiting give their phone number for a notification, for example. Consent must be given actively; a pre-ticked box or silence is not enough.
Anyone relying on consent must be able to prove it. It can be withdrawn at any time, and withdrawing must be as easy as giving it. Where a person is in a position of dependence, for example in an employment relationship, whether consent is freely given needs particular scrutiny. For people who merely walk past a screen, consent can hardly be obtained in practice; other legal bases are more likely to apply there. This glossary is not legal advice.