Will cold email become illegal?
Cold email legality varies by jurisdiction and context now, and this complexity will likely continue. Complete global bans are unlikely given commercial speech protections, but requirements will tighten in many regions.
Current landscape: B2B cold email has more latitude than B2C in most jurisdictions. GDPR legitimate interest can cover some cold outreach. CAN-SPAM allows cold email with proper identification and unsubscribe. CASL is strictest, requiring consent.
Likely evolution: stricter enforcement of existing rules, potential expansion of consent requirements, and increased technical barriers (Microsoft, Google tightening cold sender treatment). Cold email will remain legal in some forms but practically harder due to both legal and technical constraints.
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