Consent
Also known as: informed consent · explicit consent · lawful basis
Consent is the free, informed agreement given for specific purposes by which a person authorises the processing of their personal information.
Each of those adjectives is a validity condition. Free rules out consent obtained by withholding a service that does not need it; informed assumes the person understands what they are agreeing to; "specific purposes" bars blanket consent to unlisted uses.
It is asked separately for each distinct purpose. Agreeing to receive an order is not agreeing to receive a newsletter, and bundling both into one checkbox generally invalidates both.
It must be as easy to withdraw as it was to give — consent given in one click cannot require a phone call to withdraw.
It is not always the right basis: performing a contract or meeting a legal obligation are standalone grounds, often sturdier than asking a permission you cannot honour if refused.
What it means for a small business
The pre-ticked box is the most frequent defect and the easiest to fix. Pre-given consent is not consent.
Related terms
So what actually applies to you?
A definition tells you what a term means, not what your organization must do. The assessment answers the second question — free, no credit card.
Updated September 1, 2026 · Educational definition; not legal advice.