One of the most significant restrictions on bulk email marketing is legislation. One of the most significant problems is that the words that are used are open to interpretation. The Data Protection Act (DPA) tells us that we must not keep personal data any longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it was … READ MORE »
DPA: three initials to strike fear into the heart on anyone with a business which includes processing personal information, including email marketing. But in practice it is little more than a set of rules which would be sensible to comply with anyway. It strikes what many feel is a reasonable balance between the interests of … READ MORE »
This is an introduction to the law. If ever there was a time to follow the suggestion of checking first with a lawyer, then if you are involved in direct marketing by email, this is it: and probably a specialist lawyer. The law can change by way of stated case at the stroke of a … READ MORE »
Anyone with a fetish for figures will find The Data Protection Act 1998 (The DPA) a joy. It has eight principles, seven rights and six conditions. The intent of the legislation is to strike a balance between the conflicting interests of individuals and those who wish, for valid and lawful reasons, to store and use … READ MORE »
It is all too easy to assume that the big firms in email marketing and data collecting would have, if not legions, then at least sufficient sources of legal advice. You might think it would be perfectly fine to copy their methods without going to the bother of checking the law yourself. I am reliably … READ MORE »
The news over the weekend of the recent bank holiday in England and Wales might have seemed exciting to anyone in email marketing, with the culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, calling for new data regulations based on “common sense, not box-ticking”. At last, the promise of a Brexit bonus after all. The announcement of the new … READ MORE »
With the end of Covid restrictions in sight, if you have good eyesight, you are probably feeling a little euphoric. Maybe your short-term problems are over. A return to normal-ish email marketing campaign planning is surely just around the corner. It’s not a return to the ‘old days’. There are a number of factors with … READ MORE »
Television crime drama is frustrating for anybody in email marketing who has control of personal data as the myth that it cannot be shared is reinforced time and again as the police investigator comes up against the block of, ‘I can’t share that with you because of data protection.’ I sometimes feel the obligation to … READ MORE »
Every email marketing company should know the difference between personal data and portable data. One you should avoid transporting, the other is mandatory to send if requested. The GDPR allows individuals to demand and reuse their personal data for their own purposes. The premise is that they might want to transfer their data to another … READ MORE »
The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) has a lot to say about what you should do if you think you have been subject of a personal data breach. You might think that all you have to worry about is the addresses in your email marketing lists, but it goes much further than that. The first … READ MORE »