Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), purchasing email lists for marketing is functionally illegal in most scenarios because consent must be .
: To send emails legally to a purchased list, you must provide a clear opt-out mechanism, include a valid physical postal address, and ensure headers and subject lines are not deceptive.
: 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
1. United States: The CAN-SPAM Act
: A list broker's generic consent (e.g., "sharing with partners") rarely meets the GDPR threshold for the specific buyer to send marketing materials. Therefore, using a purchased list often violates CASL
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.
: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) allows residents to opt out of the sale of their personal data, adding complexity for businesses targeting California-based contacts. 2. Canada: CASL United States: The CAN-SPAM Act : A list
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.