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.
Was this answer helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!