The use of technology holds the promise of making health care accessible and cost-effective. Both public and private entities in India have committed substantial resources to this sector. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), for example, follows a technology-driven approach, with a core emphasis on ensuring fairness and equal access in health care for all. By collecting, processing, and sharing health data, the mission aims to empower patients to make informed health care decisions in real-time. Presently, the health sector in India is struggling with concerns such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of healthcare professionals and heavy out-of-pocket expenditure. Digitisation can be instrumental in addressing these challenges, but there is a risk of privacy violations, the disproportionate impact of which is likely to be borne by vulnerable groups.

The digital health system relies on data exchange between patients and service providers, raising privacy concerns at multi-party levels. The recently enacted Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act makes consent central to personal data collection and processing. However, the lack of transparency in consent mechanisms leaves users unaware of how their data will be used and with no negotiation power against platforms. For example, if apps start........

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