Legal Frameworks Governing User Consent
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 8:22 am
A number of regional and global regulations govern how organizations collect phone numbers and the nature of user consent. Below are some of the most influential:
1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – EU
Under the GDPR, phone numbers are classified as personal data. The regulation mandates that:
Consent must be informed, specific, and unambiguous.
Users must be able to withdraw consent at any time.
Organizations must document and prove that south africa phone number data consent was obtained.
Failing to comply with GDPR can lead to fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue, whichever is higher.
2. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – USA
The CCPA gives California residents rights over their personal information, including:
The right to know what personal data is being collected.
The right to access or delete their data.
The right to opt-out of the sale of their data.
Consent under CCPA is particularly important when it comes to children’s data and the sale of personal data.
3. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) – USA
TCPA regulates telemarketing and SMS campaigns. It requires:
Prior express written consent before sending marketing messages or calls.
Clear disclosures about what users are opting into.
Violations can result in penalties of $500–$1,500 per call or message, making non-compliance costly.
4. Other Regional Laws
PIPEDA (Canada): Requires meaningful consent and clear communication about data practices.
Privacy Act (Australia): Consent must be freely given and informed.
Personal Data Protection Act (Singapore, Malaysia): Requires clear user consent before data collection.
1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – EU
Under the GDPR, phone numbers are classified as personal data. The regulation mandates that:
Consent must be informed, specific, and unambiguous.
Users must be able to withdraw consent at any time.
Organizations must document and prove that south africa phone number data consent was obtained.
Failing to comply with GDPR can lead to fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue, whichever is higher.
2. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – USA
The CCPA gives California residents rights over their personal information, including:
The right to know what personal data is being collected.
The right to access or delete their data.
The right to opt-out of the sale of their data.
Consent under CCPA is particularly important when it comes to children’s data and the sale of personal data.
3. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) – USA
TCPA regulates telemarketing and SMS campaigns. It requires:
Prior express written consent before sending marketing messages or calls.
Clear disclosures about what users are opting into.
Violations can result in penalties of $500–$1,500 per call or message, making non-compliance costly.
4. Other Regional Laws
PIPEDA (Canada): Requires meaningful consent and clear communication about data practices.
Privacy Act (Australia): Consent must be freely given and informed.
Personal Data Protection Act (Singapore, Malaysia): Requires clear user consent before data collection.