Why is Consent Important in Data Collection?

Consent plays a crucial role in data collection because it ensures individuals have control over how their personal information is used. Under the GDPR, while consent is just one of several legal bases for processing data, it is essential for establishing trust and transparency. 

To meet the GDPR's requirements, consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. This means individuals should have a genuine choice to agree or decline, clearly understand what they are consenting to, and provide explicit agreement through actions like ticking a box or affirming their decision. Importantly, they should also have the ability to withdraw consent as easily as it was given.

For example, if a company collects an email address for marketing and an IP address for analytics, it must provide separate, clear options for individuals to consent to each purpose. Vague or bundled requests, like burying details in dense terms, invalidate consent. Organisations must avoid practices such as pre-ticked boxes or complicated withdrawal processes, which fail to respect individuals' rights.