Opt-out refers to the process of allowing subscribers or customers to remove themselves from a mailing list or other marketing communications. An opt-out mechanism is a requirement under many data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the CAN-SPAM Act in the United States.
When someone opts out, they are expressing a desire to stop receiving future communications from a business. It is important for businesses to provide an easy and straightforward opt-out process, such as a simple unsubscribe link at the bottom of an email. Failing to respect an opt-out request can lead to serious legal consequences and damage to a company's reputation. However, it is also important for businesses to have processes in place to verify the identity of the person making the opt-out request to ensure that the request is legitimate and not a malicious attack on their email list.