Buying Email Lists Legal ๐ ๐
1. United States: The CAN-SPAM Act
: Guidance from the CRTC indicates that consent typically does not transfer when a list is sold as a standalone asset. Therefore, using a purchased list often violates CASL because the sender lacks the required prior consent. 3. European Union & UK: GDPR and PECR buying email lists legal
: In the UK, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) allow "cold" emailing to corporate addresses (e.g., info@company.co.uk), but emailing named individuals (e.g., jane.doe@company.co.uk) requires a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. 4. Operational and Platform Risks FAQs: The Real Scoop on Buying Email Lists - VetMedux Operational and Platform Risks FAQs: The Real Scoop
In the U.S., it is to purchase an email list. The federal CAN-SPAM Act regulates the sending of commercial emails rather than the acquisition of the addresses. but emailing named individuals (e.g.
The legality of buying email lists depends heavily on and how the list is ultimately used . While purchasing a list is technically legal in the United States, it is highly restricted or functionally illegal to use for marketing in Canada and the European Union due to strict consent requirements.
: A list broker's generic consent (e.g., "sharing with partners") rarely meets the GDPR threshold for the specific buyer to send marketing materials.