We are analysing the feedback received and this will inform the final version. Where appropriate the content of the draft code will be changed, clarified or expanded.
The Information Commissioner is producing a direct marketing code of practice, as required by the Data Protection Act 2018. A draft of the code is now out for public consultation.
The draft code of practice aims to provide practical guidance and promote good practice in regard to processing for direct marketing purposes in compliance with data protection and e-privacy rules. The draft code covers the legislation as it currently stands – which for e-privacy means the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
The draft code takes a life-cycle approach to direct marketing. It starts with a section looking at the definition of direct marketing to help you decide if the code applies to you, before moving on to cover areas such as planning your marketing, collecting data, delivering your marketing messages and individuals rights.
Before drafting the code, the Information Commissioner issued a call for views in December 2018. This sought input from relevant stakeholders including trade associations, data subjects and those representing the interests of data subjects, to inform our work in developing the code. You can view a summary document of the responses and see copies of the responses from organisations on our website.
Whilst these will not form part of the code itself, we also intend to produce additional practical tools (such as checklists) to go alongside the code to help support your direct marketing activities.
The public consultation on the draft code will remain open until 4 March 2020.
You can download the consultation document below and email your response to [email protected].