This document discusses the implications of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) for email marketing in South Africa. It outlines that POPI requires companies to respect and protect customers' personal information, and that failure to comply could result in reputational damage, fines, or jail time. It provides guidance on obtaining consent, storing and processing customer data securely, keeping data up to date, and ensuring transparency when engaging in email marketing.

1. POPIPROTECTION OF
PERSONAL
INFORMATION
ACT
POPIPROTECTION OF
PERSONAL
INFORMATION
ACT
What does this mean
for email marketing?
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

2. RESPECT AND PROTECT
PERSONAL INFORMATION
RESPECT AND PROTECT
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Customers Prospective
customers
Employees
SuppliersCommunities
Corporate
Entities
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Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

3. IF YOU DON’T COMPLYIF YOU DON’T COMPLY
Reputational damage
Lose customers & fail to attract
new ones
Pay out millions in damages to a
civil class action
Be fined up to R10 million or face
10 years in jail
2
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

4. IT’S LAW, BUT YOU HAVE
ONE YEAR GRACE PERIOD
FROM COMMENCEMENT
DATE
IT’S LAW, BUT YOU HAVE
ONE YEAR GRACE PERIOD
FROM COMMENCEMENT
DATE
3
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

5. STORAGESTORAGE
Specific business purposes
Explicit consent (opt-in)
4
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

6. DATADATA
Kept up to date
Get updates
Delete dormant / unused lists
Keep unsubscribe lists for
filtering
5
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

7. PROCESSINGPROCESSING
Keep records of everything you do
with the personal information
6
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

8. SAFETY AND SECURITYSAFETY AND SECURITY
IP Locks
Passwords
System access
7
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

9. DATA HELD OUTSIDE OF SADATA HELD OUTSIDE OF SA
Need to get consent if data is
outside of SA
Can put in a clause in T’s and C’s
Add to footer
Refer to it in newsletters
8
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

10. GET CONSENTGET CONSENT
Ok to send initial opt-in email
No permission means no further communication
Double opt-in tactic is recommended
But you should ALWAYS allow subscribed
contacts to unsubscribe
9
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

11. GENERAL VS SPECIFIC CONSENTGENERAL VS SPECIFIC CONSENT
Need consent for direct marketing of
specific products/services
Initial communication should be wide
enough to include all future ranges
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Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

12. WHAT ABOUT EXISTING CUSTOMERS?WHAT ABOUT EXISTING CUSTOMERS?
Direct marketing is allowed without
the need of explicit consent
But all other rules still apply
And you can only market similar
products and services
11
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

13. TRANSPARENCYTRANSPARENCY
All communication must indicate the
identity and contact details of sender
Include a complaints link
12
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

14. BUYING OF DATABASESBUYING OF DATABASES
Vendor must have consent
General rule: don’t accept databases
unless you know they have explicit
consent.
13
Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za

15. Facebook.com/Everlytic
Linkedin.com/company/everlytic
Twitter.com/Everlytic Tel : +27 11 447 6147
Email : sales@everlytic.com
Web : www.everlytic.co.za
14
SOCIAL MEDIASOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is compliant with
POPI due to people having to
opt-in