Why am I getting so many ‘consent’ emails from French newsletters?

Reader question: I have recently received several emails asking me about tracking preferences. Why are so many organisations contacting me about this?

Many people in France will have recently received emails from newsletters, public bodies and companies explaining changes to the way email tracking works.

These emails are linked to a new guidance from France’s data protection authority, the CNIL (Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés), on the use of tracking pixels in emails.

What is a tracking pixel?

A tracking pixel is a small, invisible image placed inside an email.

When the email is opened and the image loads, it can provide the sender with information such as:

• whether the email has been opened

• the date and time it was opened

• What kind of device was used to open it (computer, tablet or smartphone)

• certain technical information, which may allow organisations to know your approximate location (country, region etc)

Organisations use this information to measure how many people read their newsletters, understand whether their communications are of interest to them and manage their mailing lists.

For example, companies may use this data to identify inactive subscribers and avoid sending emails to people who no longer read them.

Why are these emails arriving now?

The CNIL issued a recommendation on tracking pixels in emails in April 2026.

The guidance required organisations using tracking pixels with existing mailing lists to inform subscribers how the technology is used and give them the opportunity to object. 

Organisations had three months to comply, meaning the deadline fell on July 14 after which the CNIL said it would begin carrying out compliance checks.

Although that deadline has now passed, some organisations are still contacting subscribers as they update their mailing lists or complete the process, which is why many people have seen a recent increase in emails about tracking preferences.

Do I need to do anything?

In most cases you do not need to take any action if you are happy with the current system.

However, subscribers should have the option to refuse the use of tracking pixels. The choice is usually available through a link at the bottom of the newsletter or email.

For example, Service Public’s weekly newsletter now includes a “Gestion du pixel de suivi” (manage tracking pixel) link allowing subscribers who signed up before April 14, 2026 to object to tracking pixels being used.

People who subscribed to the Service Public’s newsletter after April 14 though do not have tracking pixels by default, but can choose to activate them if they wish.

Note that choosing not to allow tracking pixels does not necessarily mean you will stop receiving newsletters. Instead, it simply prevents the sender from collecting information about whether you opened the email or how you interacted with it. 

However, organisations may implement the choice differently, so it is worth checking the explanation provided by the sender. 

If you are unsure about an email, check that it comes from the official email of the organisation you originally subscribed to and avoid clicking links in suspicious emails.