← Blog · 2026-10-30

Is Email Scraping Legal? What You Need to Know

A plain-English look at collecting public business emails under GDPR and CAN-SPAM. Not legal advice.

Public vs. private data

Collecting contact details that a business publishes publicly is generally treated differently from harvesting private personal data. Context and jurisdiction matter.

GDPR in short

In the EU and UK you need a lawful basis, typically legitimate interest for relevant B2B outreach, plus transparency and an easy opt-out.

CAN-SPAM in short

In the US, commercial emails need an honest subject line, a physical address and a working unsubscribe that you honour quickly.

Best practice

Target businesses, not consumers; keep messages relevant; respect opt-outs; and don't buy or resell lists. This article is not legal advice. Check your local rules.

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