The Dialogue hosted the Conference on Children’s Personal Data Protection to delve into the implications of Rule 10 of the DPDP Rules, which mandates parental consent for processing children’s personal data. Experts from government, industry, and academia engaged in in-depth discussions on the feasibility of current frameworks, challenges in compliance, and possible alternative approaches. The event featured a keynote address by Vikash Chourasia, Scientist D, MeitY, followed by two panel discussions on the impact of verifiable parental consent (VPC) requirements and potential solutions for effective implementation.
The first panel, Impact of Verifiable Parental Consent Provisions on Startups and MSMEs, featured speakers including Subhodeep Jash, Associate Vice President (AVP) of Policy and Alliances, ConveGenius; Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy, Snap; Rakesh Maheshwari, Former Cyber Laws Coordinator, MeitY; Tamoghna Goswami, Director – Policy, ShareChat; Aparajita Bharti, Co-founder, The Quantum Hub; and Hoonar Janu, Head of Policy, Info Edge. Discussions revolved around the disproportionate burden placed on startups and MSMEs due to VPC requirements, the challenges of implementing government-issued ID verification, and the risk of increased user drop-offs. Panellists also explored alternative approaches, such as a risk-based tiered verification system and enhancing parental digital literacy in smaller cities.
The second panel, Enhancing Children’s Personal Data Protection – An Optimal Way Forward, featured Shatakratu Sahu, Senior Research Analyst/Senior Program Manager, Carnegie India; Rakesh Maheshwari, Former Cyber Laws Coordinator, MeitY; Tamoghna Goswami, Director – Policy, ShareChat; Aparajita Bharti, Co-founder, The Quantum Hub; and Hoonar Janu, Head of Policy, Info Edge. The discussion focused on balancing privacy, child safety, and platform usability while complying with Rule 10. Experts explored leveraging India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for seamless, privacy-preserving verification, analysing global best practices, and considering the introduction of an Age-Appropriate Design Code for India to create a comprehensive child safety framework.
Key takeaways from the conference included the need to expand verification options under Rule 10 to make compliance more inclusive and effective, the importance of a risk-based, tiered approach for age verification, and the necessity of collaboration between the government and industry to create scalable, privacy-friendly solutions. Additionally, the discussions highlighted the potential benefits of a phased implementation strategy through pilot programs to refine policies before full-scale enforcement.
The conference raised important questions about scalability, privacy risks, and regulatory clarity. How can India balance child protection with practical and scalable compliance mechanisms? The road ahead calls for continued stakeholder collaboration and policy innovation. Download our Event Report for the full insights and recommendations.
