Email Consent
Email consent is the permission given by an individual to receive marketing or newsletter emails, obtained through explicit opt-in or documented agreement.
What Is Email Consent?
Email consent standards vary by jurisdiction. GDPR requires explicit, affirmative consent — the subscriber must actively opt in, and pre-checked boxes don't count. CAN-SPAM allows an opt-out model (consent is implied until withdrawn). CASL requires express consent for most commercial messages. Regardless of legal requirements, best practice is always explicit opt-in: the subscriber enters their email address and clicks a subscribe button, understanding what they're signing up for. Consent should be specific (what emails will you send?), informed (how will you use their data?), freely given (not bundled with other services), and documented (you can prove when and how consent was obtained).
Why It Matters for Newsletters
Proper consent is the foundation of a trustworthy email relationship. Beyond legal compliance, subscribers who have actively chosen to receive your emails are far more engaged than those added through questionable means. Consent quality directly predicts list quality and engagement.
Best Practices
- Always use explicit opt-in — even in jurisdictions that don't require it
- Be specific about what subscribers are consenting to receive
- Record consent with timestamps and method details
- Never add people to your list without their knowledge and agreement
- Make it easy to withdraw consent at any time
How Aldus Handles This
Aldus uses double opt-in, which provides the highest standard of consent. Every subscriber actively enters their email and confirms it via a verification link, creating documented proof of consent.