Voorallowed

Voorallowed is a neologism used in discussions of digital governance and privacy to describe a policy mode in which certain actions are permitted by a baseline policy prior to explicit user consent. In practice, it refers to pre-authorized or preconfigured permissions within a system that enable processing or use of data unless the user takes action to restrict them. The term combines the Dutch prefix voor- meaning before with the English word allowed, and is used primarily in academic and industry debates about consent architectures, transparency, and user autonomy.

The model is framed as an alternative to consent-first or opt-in approaches, and is often illustrated with examples like essential service operations that run with default analytics or data sharing that can be opt-out by the user, or cookies set to allowed by default with an opt-out option. Implementations are typically governed by policy documents, user notices, and revocation mechanisms that must be accessible and easy to use.

Critics argue that voorallowed can threaten user autonomy and create consent fatigue or mission creep, while supporters contend that it can reduce friction and improve service functionality when paired with strong revocation rights and clear disclosures. The suitability of voorallowed depends on jurisdiction, the sensitivity of data involved, and the availability of effective user controls.

See also: consent management, privacy by design, default settings, opt-out and opt-in frameworks.