What is required for consent to be valid, according to the F.R.I.E.S. criteria?

For consent to be considered valid under the F.R.I.E.S. criteria, it must be freely given. This means that individuals must have the autonomy to make their own decisions without any form of coercion or pressure. The essence of "freely given" signifies that consent is provided voluntarily, ensuring that the individual is acting according to their own will and understanding of the situation. This concept is fundamental to ethical interactions, especially in areas such as healthcare, research, and legal agreements, where informed consent is crucial. Valid consent respects the individual's right to choose and requires that the decision-making process is free from any external influence.