An extended conceptual model of consent for information systems

Abstract

With the digitisation of off-line processes in e-commerce and moves towards the digitisation of consent processes in health care, the need for effective on-line consent management has grown considerably. Yet, contemporary constructs in information systems are unreportedly incomplete. For instance, the focus in contemporary literature is on the flawed notion that consent decision-making is synonymous with access control decision-making. Therefore, more elaborate conceptualisations are required, which promote the development of more effective consent management systems. To this end, in this paper, a novel conceptual model is proposed (extending Friedman et al.'s models) which describes in more detail key aspects of the idea of consent as widely recognised in health care. To help others assess or apply the model, the theory-based rationales underpinning the model are documented. It is argued that while the model is necessarily incomplete, it is also useful, insofar as it improves thinking about consent management, and supports research about, and the design and analysis of, more effective consent management systems.