to think GDPR was intended to put a stop to all this?

[CaptaNoctem]

Whatever happened to the requirement for us to deliberately opt in to mailing lists?

I've been doing most of my Christmas shopping online this year.

I've been added unwillingly to so many mailing lists despite opting out wherever I see the option. The same old tricks are still being used - tick to opt out for example and some just disregard your request anyway.

Then it's the barrage of email from the company saying it's just been sent to courier, the courier emails me (obviously the company shares my email address) to say they have it. I then get more email tracking it's way through the system. Retailer tells me it's out for delivery, courier tells me it's out for delivery. Courier says they've delivered, retailer then tells me it's delivered. Aargh

Whilst there is I guess some small justification for this, there is none at all for the "welcome to the family" emails from retailers which I then have to opt out off. I never opted in. Often I then get a "special offer" mailshot which is another list I have to opt out off. And so it goes on.

Then of course it's the requests for review - again often before I've even received the item. Followed by the reminder that I haven't reviewed and would I like to? I've opted out of these review sites so often but it seems to make no odds.

Arrrgh - stop just stop. I've just missed a vitally important email amongst all this crap hitting my inbox. if I've made it clear I don't want email then DON'T EMAIL ME.

OK rant over - Any recommendations for single use disposable email providers? They can then send all this crap into a black hole somewhere.

We left the European Union so their regulations no longer apply.

How about an email account that you only use for shopping?

Err no the DPA was revised to take into account the requirements of GDPR, so it is still part of UK law. It is just very badly applied. A few times lately when I have been clothes shopping I have been asked if I would like an emailed copy of my receipt. I reply yes, but please do not add me to a mailing list. Sure enough once they have an email, the temptation is simply too great.

We left the European Union so their regulations no longer apply.

Totally incorrect, ignore this OP.

I am with you. The issue is GDPR doesn't tackle certain issues and enforceability is problematic, too.

@Phineyj

We left the European Union so their regulations no longer apply.

How about an email account that you only use for shopping?

Incorrect bollocks.

Use gmail aliases. For example

[email protected] is your main account.

[email protected] will also get sent to the same email account, but you can filter out anything that contains +Tesco straight to spam.

@Phineyj

We left the European Union so their regulations no longer apply.

How about an email account that you only use for shopping?

That isn't true: UK data protection law = GDPR+the 2018 Data Protection Act.

Just set up some rules on your email to divert shopping emails a different folder.

I love junk mail and e-mail, makes me feel wanted

If you shop on ebay, some of the sellers collect your data and sell it to spammers. My spam box is full of rubbish thanks to ebay sellers.

I use a secondary gmail address for casual shopping and another one for utilities/insurance/regular food shop. The one for utilities has by far most spam (unsolicited spam, where the email address has obviously been sold)

I wish they'd enforce it as it's on the statutes and I wish companies would realise that it backfires on them doing this. No matter what their marketing depts tell them deluging brand new customers who have tried to opt out of mailshots does not make me more likely to buy from them, in fact it makes sure they get no repeat orders.

Just signed up to GuerillaMail.

I can send from it ( to confirm valid address - haha ) and it deletes incoming mail after 1 hour. Plenty of time for verification purposes and then it's useless to the retailers.

Then it's the barrage of email from the company saying it's just been sent to courier, the courier emails me (obviously the company shares my email address) to say they have it. I then get more email tracking it's way through the system. Retailer tells me it's out for delivery, courier tells me it's out for delivery. Courier says they've delivered, retailer then tells me it's delivered. Aargh

That is permitted under the GDPR. I can't recall the term but it is messages relating to an order placed are allowed.

The issue is that GDPR doesn't stipulate HOW they have to just that they do - companies can chose whether they ask you to tick the box to opt in or tick the box to opt out and some are very crafty how they word it!

GDPR was transferred to UK GDPR when we left and allows for communications related to orders placed, eg shipping notes, invoices, delivery info etc.

UK GDPR also allows for 'legitimate interest' communications although this is less clear cut. Once your order is delivered, you really need to opt out of each.

It's not just about GDPR, PECR allows soft opt in. Companies are using the loophole of legitimate interests to get around people not actively opting in for marketing, so even if you don't tick the box they can claim legitimate interests to try to sell you something similar although some stretch it much further.

It's completely pointless and perhaps if the ICO spent more time on that than bloody cookies it might have been better. But DP legislation is about to get completely stripped back thanks to the Tories so it's only going to get worse.

But those are legit emails telling you where your parcel is so you don't bother them via customer services. I always thought the opt out emails were for all the crappy ones that come after like sales emails etc

@Youdoyoutoday

But those are legit emails telling you where your parcel is so you don't bother them via customer services. I always thought the opt out emails were for all the crappy ones that come after like sales emails etc

I've had 6 "post sale" offers already today despite opting out!

As for the tracking well - M&S told me my parcel was out for delivery 3 hours after I'd had the email from Royal Mail AND from M&S saying that it had been delivered. Pointless and annoying.

And that legitimate interest loophole? As far as I'm concerned there is no legitimate interest that exists that gives a site and it's mates a reason to profile and track me ( Yes Mumsnet I know you use this loophole and you make it really hard to switch off consent too).

To be honest I think you're being a bit precious about it, they are emails about an order you placed, yes it might be a bit ott but they want to appear do it all for you, keeping you informed etc so that you don't contact them. It's annoying but it's still only emails which are easily deleted.

The GDPR wasn’t about marketing.

What the GDPR is about is to ensure that you are made aware what your information being collected it to be used for.
If it is collected for managing your order, for own brand marketing and to sell onto the open market and that is made clear then it’s compliant

The surge of opting in was to reiterate and be explicit about existing data, and many companies will continue to give an opt in box to ensure they are protected rather than any claims against small print opt out clauses

Note that not only the GDPR has been brought into Uk law. While we were in the EU the different status of each type of EU regulation often required the member states to put them into effect under local national legislation, and in the transition period all EU regulations were reviewed and put into UK law where applicable.

(In the case of GDPR for the purposes of international trade, if a business holds data on EU citizens then the EU GDPR still applies, and the UK GDPR applies to UK citizens)