Are there restrictions on using consumer reports for marketing by non-affiliates?

• A. Yes; consumers must be given an opt-out to affiliate sharing for marketing.
• B. No restrictions.
• C. Only opt-in required.
• D. Only for international data.

Answer: (A)

When consumer reports are used for marketing and information is shared with a company’s affiliates, there are privacy protections in place. The consumer must be given an opt-out notice to prevent affiliate sharing for marketing. This means the consumer can choose to prohibit the sharing of their information among the company and its affiliated entities for marketing purposes. If the consumer does not opt out, the affiliate sharing for marketing may proceed, enabling targeted marketing based on the report. This is why the best answer recognizes that there are restrictions and that an opt-out to affiliate sharing is required. The other options miss this nuance: there are restrictions (not none), the mechanism is opt-out rather than opt-in for affiliate marketing, and the rule isn’t limited to international data.