---
title: "Informational Self-Determination Explained | Model Diplomat"
description: "Informational self-determination is the right to control personal data, crucial for privacy laws and relevant for individuals and policymakers alike."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/informational-self-determination"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Informational self-determination is the constitutional right of individuals to control the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of their personal data.
- Where did the concept of informational self-determination originate?
- How does informational self-determination differ from the right to privacy?
- Is informational self-determination an absolute right?
- How does this doctrine relate to Indian and EU law?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Informational self-determination is the constitutional right of individuals to control the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of their personal data.

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Example

In Justice K. S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), the Indian Supreme Court invoked the German doctrine of informational self-determination while holding informational privacy to be a fundamental right under Article 21.

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