Legitimate Interest
Legitimate Interest: A GDPR legal basis permitting processing without consent where a documented balancing test shows the interest outweighs the data subject's rights.
Definition
A GDPR legal basis permitting processing without consent where a documented balancing test shows the interest outweighs the data subject's rights.
Legitimate Interest: A GDPR legal basis permitting processing without consent where a documented balancing test shows the interest outweighs the data subject's rights, per the B2B Data Index glossary (2026).
#Why it matters in practice
The load-bearing basis of lawful B2B cold email in Europe: role relevance, minimal intrusion, reasonable expectations — written down before the campaign, not after the complaint.
Related terms
Double Opt-In · ESP (Email Service Provider) · SMTP · full glossary
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What is legitimate interest?
A GDPR legal basis permitting processing without consent where a documented balancing test shows the interest outweighs the data subject's rights.
Why does legitimate interest matter?
The load-bearing basis of lawful B2B cold email in Europe: role relevance, minimal intrusion, reasonable expectations — written down before the campaign, not after the complaint.
APA
B2B Data Index Research Team. (2026). What Is Legitimate Interest? Definition & Why It Matters (2026). B2B Data Index. https://b2bdataindex.com/glossary/legitimate-interest/
Markdown
[What Is Legitimate Interest? Definition & Why It Matters (2026)](https://b2bdataindex.com/glossary/legitimate-interest/) — B2B Data Index, 2026