GDPR latest: charities get to choose!
Howard Lake | 15 January 2018 | Blogs
Good news from the Regulator gives fundraisers a new year boost.
Now there’s an unexpected headline these days – ‘Boom time for direct mail!’ Who’d have thought? It caught my eye, so I just had to write about it.
Having generally been grumpy and highly critical this past year it’s nice to have the chance to report something good. I was prompted to add this particular cheering addendum to my earlier opinions on this issue by this exuberant article from that excellent organ of the direct marketing sector, Decision Marketing.
‘Boom time’ for direct mail industry under GDPR, suggests Decision Marketing
To be honest, I think the claim that direct mail may be heading into boom times seems just a teensy bit optimistic. But there are substantial grounds for being very much happier about the impending changes than we were this time last year. Here’s what the Information Commissioner’s Office is saying now, on the issue:
FAQs for charities on GDPR from the Information Commissioner’s Office
The ICO’s frequently asked questions can be seen in their entirety here.
Those who too early opted for opt-in only may now be a tad red-faced. The rest of us can permit ourselves a deep sigh of relief. Here’s what the UK Institute of Fundraising’s Dan Fluskey says about it.
‘This clearly confirms what IoF and others have been saying over the last year – there are different lawful bases for marketing and it’s up to charities to choose which they follow. In terms of the law, consent is no ‘better’ than legitimate interest – it’s about working out which one is the most appropriate for the audience and the communication and making sure that whichever one you choose, you follow the rules. Making this clear is useful as charities need to know the full range of options and information to make informed decisions, rather than being pushed towards a particular approach that might not be the best or most appropriate for them and their supporters.
‘The key thing for the donor experience project and for charities is about thinking how to do either consent or legitimate interest well and making compelling, engaging, communications that are welcomed by the donor. A charity could choose a ‘consent’ approach and still do crap fundraising that gives donors a poor experience. Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s excellent.’
Dan Fluskey, Institute of Fundraising
Hear hear! Well said Dan. Well done IoF! And well done ICO too.
© Ken Burnett 2018
Related articles
• Opt out or opt in? Two letters from the Regulator.
• Opt in’ will be bad for donors and for the causes they support.
• Continuous donor choice – 30+ years of doing the right thing by donors.
This article first appeared on Ken Burnett’s website and is republished with permission.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.