Information Commissioner's Office Issues Updated Guidance On Direct Marketing

At the end of March, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued updated guidance on the law in relation to Direct Marketing. The ICO notes in its accompanying blog post that the law applies "equally to any and all organisations who are engaging in direct marketing activity via electronic means, regardless of their sector."

The updated guidance gives new focus to:

• The collection of third-party (indirect) consent, which it indicates will only be validly obtained in limited circumstances
• How to ensure that consent is freely given, and how this interacts with either incentivising individuals to give consent, or making access to a service conditional on giving consent