GDPR Email Compliance: What Senders Actually Need to Do

GDPR Basics for Email Marketers

The General Data Protection Regulation applies to anyone processing personal data of EU residents — regardless of where your company is based. For email marketers, the key requirements center on consent, data rights, and documentation.

Consent Requirements

GDPR requires "freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous" consent. For email marketing, this means: no pre-checked boxes, clear language about what they're signing up for, and separate consent for different purposes.

Double Opt-In

While not strictly required by GDPR, double opt-in (confirmation email) is strongly recommended. It provides clear evidence of consent and is considered best practice by most data protection authorities.

Data Subject Rights

Subscribers have the right to access their data, correct it, delete it, and port it. Your unsubscribe process must be simple and immediate — no "we'll remove you in 10 business days."

Record Keeping

You must be able to demonstrate when and how each subscriber gave consent. Store timestamps, IP addresses, the exact form they used, and the language they saw at the time of opt-in.

Practical Checklist

Audit your signup forms. Update your privacy policy. Implement double opt-in. Ensure one-click unsubscribe works. Document your consent records. Train your team.