You’ve probably clicked “I Agree” a hundred times this year while signing up for apps, using AI tools, or even installing software for your college projects. But ask yourself honestly: Did you really know what you were agreeing to? In the digital age of artificial intelligence, consent has become more of a checkbox than a conscious choice. As AI quietly integrates into everything from your Instagram filters to your favorite code editor, it’s constantly learning — and feeding on the data you unknowingly give away.
This isn’t just a user problem — it’s a developer’s responsibility. If you are a computer application student, then tomorrow you’ll be building the very systems that ask for user data, design interfaces, and train AI models. But here’s the catch: If you don’t understand the illusion of consent now, you might end up creating tools that deceive, not serve. This blog dives into the blurred lines between the illusion of choice and control in AI, with real-world examples like Ghibli art to show just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
What is ‘Consent’ in the Digital Age?
Generally, consent means to agree with something, but it is asked differently in traditional and digital terms. Let’s see how they both work.
Traditional Consent vs. Digital Consent
In the physical world, consent usually involves a clear, informed “yes” — signing a form, agreeing verbally, or ticking a box after reading everything. It’s direct, human, and usually comes after some explanation.
But in today’s age of artificial intelligence, things aren’t so straightforward. Consent is often buried in long documents, shown as vague pop-ups, or disguised as “just another click.” People mostly skip them, not because they don’t care, but because these consents are designed to be unreadable. Ask yourself: When was the last time you actually read a 40-page privacy policy?
In the age of Artificial Intelligence, this digital “consent” is even more complicated because:
- You don’t always know what data is being collected.
- You may not know how that data will be used or shared.
- You rarely get the chance to say “no” and still use the service.
Deceptive Consent Models
Let’s understand how different platforms give you a choice and manipulate you into giving your consent.
Clickwrap: It’s the most common form – you see a checkbox saying “I agree to the terms and conditions”, and if you don’t agree to it, you can’t use the app.
Scrollwrap: Here, users are forced to scroll through a policy or license agreement before they can agree. Most users scroll without reading anything just to get to the end.
Deceptive Models: These are the dark patterns that generally include Pre-checked boxes, Confusing button labels (e.g., “Maybe Later” actually means “Yes”), FOMO or guilt-driven messages (e.g., “Don’t you want to stay informed?”)
These designs push users into consenting, even if they don’t want to. And because Artificial Intelligence needs a ton of data, companies often nudge users toward agreeing without offering real alternatives.
Companies often collect your data by tricking you into agreeing to whatever they are asking of you. They do it by using vague terms like “We collect data to improve your experience,” or by bundling multiple types of data under one checkbox. And worst of all, giving you no choice but to agree in order to use the product.
Once you agree (as you have no other choice but to agree), your data may be used to train AI models, sold to third parties and shared across platforms. There’s no such thing as AI and data privacy.
Understanding AI’s Need for Data
AI systems don’t work magically — they learn from huge amounts of data. This data helps them recognize patterns, make predictions, and personalize your experience. Whether it’s recommending a song, fixing grammar, or generating artwork, Artificial Intelligence learns from what people do, say, like, and share.
Every time you click “Agree,” you may be giving an app permission to collect your Search history, Location, App usage behavior, Photos or artwork, etc.
This data is then used to train machine learning models — kind of like feeding a brain with examples until it gets smart. The more data, the smarter (and more powerful) the AI becomes.
So when you accept terms blindly, you’re not just using the tool — you’re helping to improve it, often without knowing what you’ve given up in return.
Ghibli Art & the AI Controversy
Let’s understand AI and data privacy with the prevailing example of AI art that’s been surfacing on the internet lately.
Studio Ghibli is famous for its beautiful, hand-drawn animation style. But recently, AI models have started replicating that exact look. But what’s the problem with that? These images are likely the result of picking up the work of artists and feeding them into AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools without asking for their consent. So while the results may look impressive, they raise big ethical questions:
- Is AI art inspiration or theft?
- Can AI admire an artist’s work without stealing it?
This is a clear example of how Artificial Intelligence uses creative work without proper consent, sparking debates around intellectual property, fairness, and originality — things future developers must think seriously about.
Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection: Legal & Ethical Gaps
To ensure that Artificial Intelligence and data protection go well, India relies on two laws one is the IT Act, 2000, and the other is the newly introduced Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
The IT Act, 200 relies on outdated laws and the DPDP Act, 2023 doesn’t directly address the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection, especially the unique challenges Artificial Intelligence poses in processing and manipulating the data it collects.
There’s no specific law in India right now that controls how Artificial Intelligence should behave or how it should get user consent. This leaves a huge ethical gap — especially as AI tools become more common in education, apps, and government services.
This means two things:
- Don’t just follow the rules — think ethically.
- Design systems that are transparent and fair, even if the law doesn’t force you to.
Conclusion
This blog wasn’t about the data and legal terms, it was intended to make people aware and show them their responsibility in a world where Artificial Intelligence and digital advancement are at play. We often give consent without even fully understanding what we are agreeing to. That’s the illusion of choice– where it feels as if we are giving consent on our own, but in reality, we are being nudged towards agreeing to whatever is being asked of us.
If you are someone who’s interested in the field of machine and computer applications and are planning to become a developer, designer, and AI engineer in future, then you have the power to change this. You’ll be the ones building the systems that ask for consent, collect data, and interact with users. So don’t just code what works — code what’s right.Always remember to read before you click, design before you exploit, and think beyond what Artificial Intelligence (AI) can do — and focus on what it should do. Because ethical tech doesn’t start with machines. It starts with you.
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