Knowledge Resources › Duties of a Data Principal
Last updated: 6 August 2026
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 gives individuals (each a “Data Principal”) rights over their personal data. Alongside those rights, the Act also places certain duties on individuals.
The duties under the Act
- To comply with the provisions of all applicable laws while exercising rights under the Act.
- Not to impersonate another person while providing their personal data for a specified purpose.
- Not to suppress any material information while providing personal data for any document, unique identifier, proof of identity, or proof of address issued by the State.
- Not to register a false or frivolous grievance or complaint with a Data Fiduciary or the Data Protection Board.
- To furnish only information that is verifiably authentic while exercising the right to correction or erasure.
These duties sit alongside the rights recognised by the Act, and their breach may attract a financial penalty under the Act. The intention is to protect the system from misuse — for example, false grievances or the provision of inauthentic information — while individuals continue to exercise their genuine rights.