Consent Withdrawal

The right of individuals to revoke previously given consent for data processing at any time. Withdrawal must be as easy as giving consent initially—if consent was obtained through a single click, withdrawal should be equally simple. Once consent is withdrawn, you must stop the processing that relied on that consent, though you may retain data if you have another lawful basis (like legal obligation to retain records). Consent withdrawal doesn't affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before withdrawal. Organizations must inform individuals about their right to withdraw consent when seeking consent initially, provide accessible mechanisms for withdrawal, process withdrawal requests promptly, and respect withdrawal immediately or within a reasonable timeframe. Common withdrawal mechanisms include unsubscribe links in emails, privacy settings dashboards, account management interfaces, and response to direct requests. The ease of withdrawal requirement prevents organizations from making consent difficult to revoke.