gpdp.it

Tracking pixels in emails: Consent is now required Hi everyone, The Italian Data Protection Authority has just released official guidelines regarding the use of tracking pixels in emails. Key takeaways from the press release: * **Consent is mandatory:** The Garante clarifies that email tracking pixels fall under Art. 122 of the Italian Privacy Code (implementing the ePrivacy Directive). Therefore, using them for marketing or behavioral tracking requires **prior, free, specific, and informed consent**. * **Opt-in by default:** Information must be transparent and users must have an easy way to revoke consent or opt-out selectively. * **Exceptions:** Consent is not required for strictly necessary technical reasons, security, or "institutional/service communications". * **Grace Period:** Organizations and email service providers have **6 months** to comply from the date of official publication (press release is from April 21). This seems to be a significant move toward ending the tracking of open rates and IP addresses in marketing emails without user permission and you should be on the lookout as it may continue to other EU countries. I'll be monitoring this on our side as well. Source (original in Italian): [GPDP.it](https://www.gpdp.it/home/docweb/-/docweb-display/docweb/10241977)