Privacy and data protection in direct marketing

Introduction

Direct marketing is any marketing or advertising material that is directed at particular individuals. It includes messages trying to sell goods or services and those promoting an organisation or its values or beliefs, such as material from charities or political parties asking for support. Direct marketing could be an email advertising car insurance or a phone call from a charity asking for a donation. It does not include calls that are purely for market research.

This guide explains what you need to do to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 when carrying out direct marketing activities.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Data Protection Act 1998
• Data protection and marketing
• The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations
• Marketing regulations
• Privacy issues when using cookies
• Frequently asked questions about data protection
• The Information Commissioner's Office
• Data protection offences and enforcement

Print options - What are my print options - Opens in a new window

• Add guide to my print portfolio (print later as PDF)

Email options - What are my email options - Opens in a new window

• Tell a friend about this page
• Send me an email alert when this guide changes