Any GDPR/PECR experts? LinkedIn related.

[Raftly]

I have a LinkedIn profile with my personal Gmail address as the email address. I have the highest level of privacy enabled - so one can see my email address, my full name etc. My email address is also not published anywhere online

I've started being bombarded with marketing emails to my Gmail address from companies who have 'scraped' my email address from my LinkedIn profile, despite it being hidden from everyone (I've doubled checked on my husband's LinkedIn and it's definitely hidden).

They're using LinkedIn plugins like ContactOut, ZoomInfo etc. One of them sent me a screenshot showing my LinkedIn profile with my email address visible.

LinkedIn have denied any connection to these plugins.

Does anyone know how this is allowed? Under PECR I'm pretty sure you can only contact people cold through their company email addresses, not personal. All seems pretty dodgy (and irritating).

LinkedIn don't have any connection with these products. These organisations put together data from a variety of sources. However, if you have a genuine screenshot from one of them showing your email address on LinkedIn, that suggests you haven't quite got the privacy settings right. They don't have any special way in to LinkedIn so, if your email is not visible at all, they can't get it that way.

These companies are processing your data under "legitimate interest". They do not need your consent to do this. However, you have the right to demand that they delete your information.

PECR as it applies to emails sent for business-to-business marketing is complicated. As far as I can see it does not necessarily prevent emails being sent to a personal email address. Without knowing more, it isn't clear if PECR is being breached by those sending you emails. There should be a link to unsubscribe on every email.