Rethinking consent in human-machine interactions: beyond yes and no models

This paper addresses the growing crisis of consent in machine interactions, particularly in data-driven technologies where consent is often legally compliant but ethically shallow. Users frequently accept default settings and terms without understanding, undermining the notion of informed, voluntary consent. Drawing from theories of relational consent—originating in the field of sexuality—we explore more dynamic, ongoing, and context-aware models of consent in computing. This challenges static, one-time consent frameworks and reframes consent as a dialogic, ethically engaged process. We present the notion of relational consent in computer interaction and apply it through exploration and speculative design in two case studies. The first examines animal husbandry, where power asymmetries and datafication challenge notions of agency. The second explores video games, reimagining consent as continually negotiable. Together, these cases offer highly diverse perspectives that illustrate a wide range of consent-related challenges. The findings aim to better support autonomy, integrity, and fairness in machine-mediated interactions. This work contributes to the design of more ethical technologies that take into account both human and more-than-human considerations.