GDPR
What is GDPR?
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the European Union’s law on personal data. It requires a lawful basis for processing personal data (such as consent or legitimate interest), transparency about how data is used, data minimisation, and rights for people to access, correct and delete their data. The UK has an equivalent law.
For outreach, it matters because names, work emails and phone numbers of individuals are personal data. Rules on electronic marketing (ePrivacy and national laws) apply alongside it.
Why GDPR matters
Fines and complaints aside, respecting privacy builds trust. Collect only what you need, explain who you are, and remove people promptly when they ask.
GDPR FAQ
Can I send cold emails under GDPR?
Sometimes, depending on the country, whether the recipient is a business or an individual, and your lawful basis (often legitimate interest for relevant B2B contact). National electronic marketing rules also apply. Get specific advice for the countries you target.
Related marketing terms
CAN-SPAM ActWhite hat
The CAN-SPAM Act is the US law on commercial email: honest headers and subjects, a physical address and a working, honoured opt-out.
Cold emailWhite hat
A cold email is a first message sent to someone you have no prior relationship with, to start a business conversation. It must follow anti-spam law.
Web scrapingGrey hat
Web scraping is extracting data from websites with software. It is legal in many cases but limited by terms of service, copyright and privacy law.
Data enrichment adds external facts to records you already have, such as company size, location or industry, to make them more useful.