ICO Release consultation on the draft direct marketing code of practice

As announced by the ICO:

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.

The public consultation on the draft code will remain open until 4 March 2020.

This is a particularly important consultation for the DMA, as our industry-leading code of practice to which all our members adhere is seen by many as the gold standard of direct marketing. It is an opportunity to ensure that high standards are seen across the rest of the industry and for the UK’s advertising and marketing industries to again establish themselves as a place in which respect of personal data lies in the centre.

Please contact Director of Policy, John Mitchison; Director of External Affairs, Mike Lordan; or Public Affairs Manager, Michael Sturrock with your views on this code.

The consultation announcement can be accessed here.

The consultation itself can be accessed here.