The terms, in alphabetical order
The definitions are quoted from the Information Technology Act, 2000 (section 2(1)), the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (section 2), the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 as updated on 10 February 2026 (rule 2(1)) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (section 2). The same word can be defined differently in two Acts: the IT Act and the DPDP Act each define data, and the DPDP Act applies only to digital personal data.
Board
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, section 2(c): the Data Protection Board of India established by the Central Government under section 18. DPDP Rules 2025
Child
DPDP Act, section 2(f): an individual who has not completed the age of eighteen years. DPDP Act 2023
Communication device
Information Technology Act, 2000, section 2(1)(ha): cell phones, personal digital assistance or combination of both or any other device used to communicate, send or transmit any text, video, audio or image. IT Act 2000
Computer
IT Act, section 2(1)(i): any electronic, magnetic, optical or other high-speed data processing device or system which performs logical, arithmetic, and memory functions by manipulations of electronic, magnetic or optical impulses, and includes all input, output, processing, storage, computer software or communication facilities which are connected or related to the computer in a computer system or computer network. Sections 43, 65, 66
Computer network
IT Act, section 2(1)(j): the inter-connection of one or more computers or computer systems or communication device through the use of satellite, microwave, terrestrial line, wire, wireless or other communication media, and terminals or a complex consisting of two or more interconnected computers or communication device whether or not the inter-connection is continuously maintained. Sections 43, 65, 66
Computer resource
IT Act, section 2(1)(k): computer, computer system, computer network, data, computer data base or software. Sections 43, 65, 66
Computer system
IT Act, section 2(1)(l): a device or collection of devices, including input and output support devices and excluding calculators which are not programmable and capable of being used in conjunction with external files, which contain computer programmes, electronic instructions, input data and output data, that performs logic, arithmetic, data storage and retrieval, communication control and other functions. Sections 43, 65, 66
Consent Manager
DPDP Act, section 2(g): a person registered with the Board, who acts as a single point of contact to enable a Data Principal to give, manage, review and withdraw her consent through an accessible, transparent and interoperable platform. DPDP Rules 2025
Cyber security
IT Act, section 2(1)(nb): protecting information, equipment, devices, computer, computer resource, communication device and information stored therein from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. Sections 69 and 69A
Data (IT Act)
IT Act, section 2(1)(o): a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts or instructions which are being prepared or have been prepared in a formalised manner, and is intended to be processed, is being processed or has been processed in a computer system or computer network, and may be in any form (including computer printouts magnetic or optical storage media, punched cards, punched tapes) or stored internally in the memory of the computer. IT Act 2000
Data Fiduciary
DPDP Act, section 2(i): any person who alone or in conjunction with other persons determines the purpose and means of processing of personal data. DPDP Act 2023
Data Principal
DPDP Act, section 2(j): the individual to whom the personal data relates and where such individual is a child, includes the parents or lawful guardian of such a child, and a person with disability, includes her lawful guardian, acting on her behalf. DPDP Act 2023
Data Processor
DPDP Act, section 2(k): any person who processes personal data on behalf of a Data Fiduciary. DPDP Act 2023
Data Protection Officer
DPDP Act, section 2(l): an individual appointed by the Significant Data Fiduciary under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 10. DPDP Rules 2025
Digital personal data
DPDP Act, section 2(n): personal data in digital form. DPDP Act 2023
Document
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, section 2(8): any matter expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means, and includes electronic and digital record, intended to be used, or which may be used, as evidence of that matter. IPC to BNS
Electronic form
IT Act, section 2(1)(r): with reference to information, any information generated, sent, received or stored in media, magnetic, optical, computer memory, micro film, computer generated micro fiche or similar device. IT Act 2000
Electronic record
IT Act, section 2(1)(t): data, record or data generated, image or sound stored, received or sent in an electronic form or micro film or computer generated micro fiche. Section 63 BSA
Electronic signature
IT Act, section 2(1)(ta): authentication of any electronic record by a subscriber by means of the electronic technique specified in the Second Schedule and includes digital signature. IT Act 2000
Information
IT Act, section 2(1)(v): includes data, message, text, images, sound, voice, codes, computer programmes, software and data bases or micro film or computer generated micro fiche. IT Act 2000
Intermediary
IT Act, section 2(1)(w): with respect to any particular electronic records, any person who on behalf of another person receives, stores or transmits that record or provides any service with respect to that record and includes telecom service providers, network service providers, internet service providers, web-hosting service providers, search engines, online payment sites, online-auction sites, online-market places and cyber cafes. IT Rules 2021
Personal data
DPDP Act, section 2(t): any data about an individual who is identifiable by or in relation to such data. DPDP Act 2023
Personal data breach
DPDP Act, section 2(u): any unauthorised processing of personal data or accidental disclosure, acquisition, sharing, use, alteration, destruction or loss of access to personal data, that compromises the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal data. DPDP Rules 2025
Processing
DPDP Act, section 2(x): in relation to personal data, a wholly or partly automated operation or set of operations performed on digital personal data, and includes operations such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation, retrieval, use, alignment or combination, indexing, sharing, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, restriction, erasure or destruction. DPDP Act 2023
Significant Data Fiduciary
DPDP Act, section 2(z): any Data Fiduciary or class of Data Fiduciaries as may be notified by the Central Government under section 10. DPDP Rules 2025
Significant social media intermediary
IT Rules 2021, rule 2(1)(v): a social media intermediary having number of registered users in India above such threshold as notified by the Central Government. IT Rules 2021
Social media intermediary
IT Rules 2021, rule 2(1)(w): an intermediary which primarily or solely enables online interaction between two or more users and allows them to create, upload, share, disseminate, modify or access information using its services. IT Rules 2021
Synthetically generated information
IT Rules 2021, rule 2(1)(wa): audio, visual or audio-visual information which is artificially or algorithmically created, generated, modified or altered using a computer resource, in a manner that such information appears to be real, authentic or true and depicts or portrays any individual or event in a manner that is, or is likely to be perceived as indistinguishable from a natural person or real-world event. Routine or good-faith editing, formatting, enhancement and similar changes that do not materially alter the substance are excluded by the proviso. IT Rules 2021
Frequently asked questions
What is a Data Fiduciary?
Section 2(i) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 defines a Data Fiduciary as any person who alone or in conjunction with other persons determines the purpose and means of processing of personal data.
What is an intermediary under the IT Act?
Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 defines an intermediary, with respect to any particular electronic records, as any person who on behalf of another person receives, stores or transmits that record or provides any service with respect to that record. It includes telecom service providers, network service providers, internet service providers, web-hosting service providers, search engines, online payment sites, online-auction sites, online-market places and cyber cafes.
What is an electronic record?
Section 2(1)(t) of the IT Act defines an electronic record as data, record or data generated, image or sound stored, received or sent in an electronic form or micro film or computer generated micro fiche.
What is personal data under the DPDP Act?
Section 2(t) defines personal data as any data about an individual who is identifiable by or in relation to such data.