What DPDP Really Means for Everyday Indians (Explainer for Users)

India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) isn’t just another law for companies to worry about it’s a game-changer for you.

Whether you’re shopping online, using a fitness app, paying bills via UPI, or simply browsing news your personal data is being collected, stored, and shared.
Until now, most users had no idea how or where this data was going, that changes with the DPDP Act.

What is the DPDP Act in Simple Terms?

The DPDP Act is a new law passed by the Government of India that gives you, the Data Principal, stronger control over your personal data.

It defines how your data can be collected, used, stored, and even deleted.

The Act also sets strict rules for any company, app, website, or business that handles your data whether they’re in India or outside.

What Counts as “Personal Data”?

According to the DPDP Act, personal data means any data that can identify you directly or indirectly.

Examples include:

• Your name, phone number, email

• Aadhaar or PAN details

• Location data

• App usage patterns

• Health records or financial info

• Photos, voice recordings, even cookies

What Are Your Rights as a Data Principal?

You now have legal rights over your data. These include:

• Right to Consent

No one can collect your data without your clear and specific permission. Vague checkboxes or auto-consent are no longer allowed.

• Right to Access

You can ask any company what data they have on you — and why they collected it.

• Right to Correction and Erasure

Found a mistake in your data? You can request it to be corrected or deleted completely.

• Right to Withdraw Consent

If you no longer want a company to use your data, you can withdraw your consent at any time.

• Right to Grievance Redressal

Did something go wrong? You can raise a complaint, and companies must respond within 7 days.

What Must Businesses Do Under DPDP?

Under the DPDP Act and DPDP Rules, 2025, businesses must:

• Ask for verifiable, purpose-specific consent

• Provide “Reject All” and “Accept All” options for cookies

• Let users withdraw consent easily

• Notify users of data breaches within 72 hours

• Erase data after use or 3 years of inactivity

• Appoint a Grievance Officer for user complaints

If they don’t comply, they can face fines of up to ₹250 crore per violation.

Why This Matters for Everyday Indians

Before DPDP, your data was often treated like a commodity. You’d click “I Agree” without knowing what you were agreeing to. Now, you have:

• Transparency: You know what’s being collected and why

• Choice: You can say no and it must be respected

• Control: You can correct, delete, or stop your data from being used

• Accountability: If your data is misused, someone is legally responsible

This law is about putting the power back in your hands.

What You Can Do as a User

• Look for proper consent banners before using a website

• Read the privacy policy it should be short and simple

• Withdraw consent from services you no longer trust

• Report misuse to the company or the Data Protection Board of India

And Yes, Cookie Popups Matter Now

The little cookie popup you usually ignore?

That’s a big part of the DPDP Act. Websites now must offer you a “Reject All” button, not just “Accept All.” That means you get to decide what kind of tracking is allowed.

Blutic: Making Privacy Simple for Everyone

At Blutic, we help businesses implement user-friendly consent layers that respect your rights under the DPDP Act. That means:

• Banners with clear “Accept” and “Reject” choices

• Easy tools to withdraw your consent

• Transparent logs so you can track how your data is used

Privacy shouldn’t be complicated and with Blutic, it isn’t.

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