Summary
The overwhelming consensus from email marketing experts, legal documentation (GDPR, CCPA), and industry best practices (Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, Sendinblue) indicates that users who delete their accounts should be unsubscribed from marketing emails. Treating an account deletion as an explicit request to be removed from all communications is crucial. Continuing to send emails can lead to spam complaints, negatively impact sender reputation, and potentially violate data privacy regulations. While some sources suggest offering users an option to remain subscribed, the default action should be unsubscription. Prioritizing user choice, maintaining a clean email list, and adhering to legal requirements are paramount.
Key findings
- GDPR/CCPA Compliance: Data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA mandate the deletion of personal information upon request, including email addresses from marketing lists.
- User Expectation: Deleting an account typically implies a desire to cease all communications, including marketing emails.
- Spam Prevention: Sending marketing emails after account deletion significantly increases the risk of spam complaints and damages sender reputation.
- Best Practice: Industry leaders and email service providers recommend immediate unsubscription from marketing lists upon account deletion to maintain list hygiene and comply with regulations.
- Respect User Choice: Prioritizing user choice and respecting their decision to delete their account is essential for building trust and maintaining a positive brand image.
Key considerations
- Account Deletion Process: Establish a clear and automated process for unsubscribing users from all marketing lists upon account deletion.
- Explicit Opt-In: If considering an option for users to remain subscribed, ensure it is an explicit opt-in and clearly communicated during the deletion process.
- Legal Consultation: Consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable data privacy regulations in relevant jurisdictions.
- Data Security: Implement robust data security measures to prevent unauthorized access to user data, particularly after an account deletion request.
- Alternative Communication: Consider alternative communication channels (e.g., in-app notifications) to re-engage users who may have deleted their accounts due to specific issues rather than a general aversion to marketing.
What email marketers say
16 marketer opinions
The consensus among email marketers and legal experts is that when a user deletes their account, they should generally be unsubscribed from marketing emails. Continuing to send emails after account deletion is often seen as a violation of user preferences, potentially leading to increased spam complaints, damage to sender reputation, and legal consequences under regulations like GDPR and CCPA. While some suggest explicitly offering users the option to remain subscribed during the account deletion process, the default action should be to unsubscribe them. Weighing the risks of unsubscribing against the potential rewards of keeping them on the list is essential, especially considering the low likelihood of re-engagement and the importance of maintaining a clean email list and respecting data privacy.
Key opinions
- User Intent: Account deletion often implies the user no longer wants to receive communications, including marketing emails.
- Legal Compliance: Regulations like GDPR and CCPA mandate respecting user data preferences, requiring unsubscribing upon request for deletion.
- Spam Risk: Continuing to email users after account deletion increases the risk of spam complaints and negatively impacts sender reputation.
- Brand Trust: Ignoring deletion requests damages brand trust and perception.
- Default Unsubscribe: The general consensus is to default to unsubscribing users upon account deletion, rather than keeping them subscribed.
Key considerations
- Clear Process: Implement a clear process for handling data and email preferences during account deletion.
- Explicit Options: Consider offering users an explicit option to remain subscribed during the deletion process, but ensure it's an opt-in choice.
- Risk vs. Reward: Assess the potential benefits of keeping users subscribed against the risks of spam complaints and legal repercussions.
- List Hygiene: Prioritize maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive or unsubscribed users.
- Jurisdictional Laws: Consider the specific laws in the user's region to comply with local data privacy regulations.
Marketer view
Email marketer from DigitalMarketer explains that proper data segmentation and respecting user preferences are vital. If someone deletes their account, treat it as a strong signal they no longer want marketing communications, regardless of previous opt-ins.
17 Oct 2022 - DigitalMarketer
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says to weigh the risks vs reward. If there is evidence of people deleting their accounts and getting marketing emails and coming back as a customer or positively engaging then it may be worth the unsubscribes. But if there are 0 customers coming back and your stats for the segment are low interaction and high unsubscribes, then probably best to let those sleeping dogs lie.
3 May 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts agree that a clear process is essential when a user deletes their account, especially in relation to data handling and email preferences. Deleting an account often implies a desire to cease all communications, necessitating unsubscription from marketing emails. It is also vital to consider whether storing email data after a deletion request is counterintuitive under GDPR and CCPA guidelines. While providing options to manage subscriptions during deletion is a best practice, the default action when deletion implies a desire to stop communication is to unsubscribe.
Key opinions
- Clear Process is Key: Having a defined procedure for managing data and email preferences upon account deletion is essential.
- Implied Unsubscription: An account deletion request frequently implies a desire to no longer receive marketing emails.
- Regulatory Alignment: Retaining email data post-deletion may contradict the spirit of CCPA/GDPR regulations, raising data privacy concerns.
Key considerations
- Transparency: Ensure transparency by communicating the data handling process to the user during account deletion.
- User Options: Offer clear and manageable options for users to modify their subscription preferences during the deletion process.
- Default Action: The default action for handling email subscriptions upon account deletion should align with data protection regulations and user expectations.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that when a user deletes their account, it is essential to have a clear process for handling their data and email preferences. If the account deletion request implies they no longer wish to receive any communications, including marketing emails, they should be unsubscribed. Providing options for users to manage their subscriptions during the deletion process is a best practice.
2 Jul 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks questions how you keep email details when deleting an account, assuming it's a CCPA/GDPR data deletion request. Seems counterintuitive.
24 Aug 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Legal documentation from GDPR and CCPA, along with best practice guidance from Mailchimp, clearly indicate that when a user requests account deletion, their personal data, including their email address, must be removed from marketing lists. GDPR's 'right to erasure' and CCPA's consumer rights provisions mandate the deletion of personal information upon a verifiable request. Mailchimp reinforces this by advising immediate removal from active marketing lists to ensure legal compliance and maintain list hygiene.
Key findings
- Right to Erasure (GDPR): GDPR grants users the 'right to be forgotten', requiring the erasure of personal data upon request.
- Consumer Rights (CCPA): CCPA empowers consumers to request the deletion of their personal information, which businesses must comply with.
- Best Practice (Mailchimp): Mailchimp recommends immediate removal from marketing lists upon account deletion to maintain compliance and list quality.
Key considerations
- Verifiable Requests: Implement procedures to verify the authenticity of deletion requests to ensure compliance.
- Data Removal Scope: Ensure the deletion process covers all relevant systems and service providers where the user's data is stored.
- Legitimate Basis: Assess whether there is a legitimate and lawful reason to retain specific data elements, if any, after a deletion request.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp advises that when someone unsubscribes or requests account deletion, their email address should be immediately removed from active marketing lists to comply with legal requirements and maintain list hygiene.
20 Nov 2021 - Mailchimp
Technical article
Documentation from CCPA explains that consumers have the right to request the deletion of their personal information. Upon receiving a verifiable request, businesses must delete the consumer’s personal information from their records and direct any service providers to do the same.
19 May 2022 - CCPA
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