Consent vs. Preference in Reg F – Don’t Confuse Them

Regulation F (Reg F) has led to increased conversations about consumer contact, especially when it comes to two important terms: Preference and Consent. These terms may sound similar, but they are not interchangeable. And there is a lot of risk - regulatory, legal, and strategic - in confusing the two.

Those confused about the differences might email or text someone without their consent (i.e., legal / regulatory risk) or miss potential contacts with consumers by failing to take advantage of their preferred methods of contact (which may not require consent, but will impact business outcomes).