Is cold calling still possible under GDPR?

Read time:: 1 min
Published:: 17/08/2026
Group:: GDPR/Data Protection and Information Security

Yes, it is. GDPR legislation does allow businesses to cold call but ensures it is done in a responsible way, only where there is a ‘Legitimate interest’ to do so, and where the interests, rights and freedoms of the individual are protected.

Under GDPR, organisations are entitled to process personal data to carry out their usual business activities and this can include direct marketing. In the context of cold calling, this means considering the rights of the individual not to have their privacy invaded by unsolicited calls.

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