Our anti-spam policy
Last updated 14/05/2018
An individual’s privacy is important to us and our customers, and we do not knowingly breach any rules under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK Data Protection Act 2018.
We follow the six bases for processing personal data as defined in GDPR when deciding what basis to use for our communications. Processing is:
- necessary for performance of a contract
- in compliance with a legal obligation
- necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject
- in the public interest of exercising official authority
- with the consent of the data subject.
- in the legitimate interest of the controller or a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the natural person.
We process personal data with the consent of the individual, performance of a contract or under our legitimate interests, where we complete a Legitimate Interest Assessment as required under GDPR to ensure that our communications do not disadvantage a company representative. For more details see our Privacy Policy.
These rules apply to all residents in the European Economic Area regardless of where the business is based, which, in our case is within the EEA.
We also have established policies to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulation 2003, as updated, where our electronic marketing is concerned.
Most of our marketing is undertaken by email and we have a strict policy on unsolicited marketing messages within the EEA. We have an unsubscribe message on each email we send. However sometimes we cannot tell where your company email addresses are based, i.e. a .com email address may not apply to residents of the United States.
It is within our Legitimate Interests to seek new contacts for our business, though we do this in a limited fashion by using research and external lists to include companies, without charge, in a business directory that gives them a promotional presence, but we offer an unsubscribe on the very first email in case a company does not wish to be included. And whilst we try and encompass the national rules of countries outside of the EEA, the United States does not have a national policy, and if we are unaware of the state of residence of US citizens, we may sometimes send communications unwittingly.
If this happens, and we are made aware of it, we will, at any time, unsubscribe a company representative who wishes to be removed from a list.
In addition, we will thoroughly investigate any allegations made by recipients relating to unsolicited messages.
We go to great lengths to ensure that all e-mails promoting GMA or its products are sent only to company representatives who have agreed to receive such messages or where our Legitimate Interests are involved.
If you feel you’ve been sent unsolicited emails promoting our brand or website and would like to register a complaint, please email info@gma.com and we will look into it and respond.
Message Recipient Policy
Before readers and members of the-gma.com can receive newsletters which occasionally promote our events along with 3rd party advertising and events, readers must have agreed to receive such messages. Any recipient may request at any time to be removed from our list, and we will comply with that request. In addition, we will thoroughly investigate any allegations made by recipients relating to unsolicited messages.
Policy against advertising our website using unsolicited email messages
We require that all emails promoting the-gma.com or its services are sent only to readers/members who have agreed to receive such messages. We prohibit any advertising of our brand and website using unsolicited email messages. Not complying with this policy will cause partnership termination and/or affiliate account termination.
If you feel you’ve been sent unsolicited emails promoting our brand or website and would like to register a complaint, please email our abuse department (info@the-gma.com). We will immediately investigate all allegations made related to unsolicited messages.
Definition of Spam
Spam is unsolicited email sent in bulk. Any promotion, information or solicitation that is sent to a person via e-mail without their prior consent, that cannot be considered as “negotiations for a sale” under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, as updated, will not be sent to EEA residents. Where we unwittingly send such communications where we do not know the whereabouts of the company, we will unsubscribe them immediately on request.
Examples of Spam
Any e-mail message that is sent to a recipient who had previously signed up to receive newsletters, product information or any other type of bulk email but later opted-out by indicating to the sender that they did not want to receive additional email, then that email is spam.
- Any e-mail message that is sent to a recipient without a way for a person to opt-out or request that future mailings not be sent to them, is spam
- Any email message that does not have a valid email address in the From Line is spam.
- Any email message that contains any false or misleading information in the header, subject line or message itself is spam.
- Any email message that promotes an adult web site is spam, unless the recipient has specifically requested information from that web site.
For more information please refer to our Privacy Statement