Soft opt-in
The EU and UK exception that lets a business email its own customers about similar products without fresh consent, if they could opt out at collection and in every message.
What it means
Article 13(2) of the ePrivacy Directive allows a business that obtained a customer's email address in the context of a sale of a product or service to use it for direct marketing of its own similar products or services, provided the customer is clearly given the chance to object, free of charge and easily, when the address is collected and in every message.
The UK's ICO explains the idea: someone who bought from you recently, gave you their details and did not opt out is probably happy to hear about similar products. It does not apply to prospects or contacts from bought-in lists. France's CNIL adds that creating an online account without a purchase does not qualify.
The exception is narrow: your own customers, your own similar products.
Related terms
Sources
What this definition rests on. The wording is ours; the facts are theirs.
All 432 terms in the glossaryThe wiki: blocklists and bounce codes