India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 — what it means for animal welfare apps, NGO software, and biometric dog ID platforms.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act) is India's primary data privacy legislation. It governs how organisations collect, store, process, and transfer personal data of Indian citizens — establishing consent requirements, individual rights, and penalties for non-compliance of up to ₹250 crore per breach.
India's Supreme Court declared privacy a fundamental right in 2017 (Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India). The DPDP Act, passed in August 2023, is the legislative response — India's first comprehensive data protection law, modelled in part on Europe's GDPR but adapted for the Indian digital economy context.
The Act applies to the processing of digital personal data of individuals who are present in India, regardless of where the data processor is located.
Personal data can only be collected after obtaining free, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent from the individual.
Data collected for one purpose cannot be used for another without fresh consent.
Individuals can withdraw consent and request deletion of their data at any time.
Organisations must collect only the data necessary for the stated purpose — nothing more.
Every data fiduciary must have a mechanism for individuals to raise data-related complaints.
Up to ₹250 crore per breach for significant data fiduciaries; lower caps for smaller entities.
Any NGO, shelter, or animal welfare organisation that collects personal data of Indian citizens — names, phone numbers, email addresses, location data — through a digital platform is subject to the DPDP Act. This includes mobile apps, online donation portals, volunteer registration forms, and dog adoption databases.
Collect only the user data you need for each specific function (phone number to notify about a found dog; not for marketing without separate consent)
Show a clear consent notice before collecting any personal data
Provide users a way to request deletion of their account and associated records
Use HTTPS and standard encryption for data in transit and at rest
Maintain a record of what data you collect and why
Dog biometric data (nose prints) is not personal data under the DPDP Act — animals are not natural persons. The Act applies to the human data linked to those records.
No. The DPDP Act applies to personal data of natural persons — human beings. A dog's nose-print embedding, breed data, or veterinary records are not personal data under the Act.
However, when a dog's record is linked to a human — an owner's name and phone number, a feeder's contact details, a vet's registration information — that linked human data is subject to DPDP obligations. Muzzl collects minimal human data for this purpose and handles it in compliance with the Act.