Email Marketing Term

What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation - EU law governing how personal data must be collected and processed.

GDPR (effective May 2018) significantly impacted email marketing, especially for companies with EU subscribers.

Key GDPR requirements for email: - **Explicit consent**: Pre-checked boxes don't count - **Clear purpose**: Explain what emails they'll receive - **Easy withdrawal**: Unsubscribe must be simple - **Data access**: Subscribers can request their data - **Right to deletion**: "Right to be forgotten" - **Record keeping**: Document consent and processing

Fines for violations reach €20 million or 4% of global revenue. Even non-EU companies must comply when emailing EU residents.

GDPR actually improved email marketing by forcing cleaner, more engaged lists and better practices.

Examples

Consent checkbox: "I agree to receive marketing emails" (not pre-checked)
Privacy policy link at signup
Easy unsubscribe in every email

Tips for GDPR

✓Use double opt-in for EU subscribers
✓Keep records of consent (when, how, what)
✓Include privacy policy link at signup
✓Make unsubscribe easy and immediate

Related Terms

CAN-SPAM Act

US law establishing rules for commercial email, including opt-out requirements and penalties for violations.

Double Opt-In

A subscription process requiring users to confirm their email address before being added to a list.

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