Consent and multiple form submissions

[eschwier]

Hi all,

I am brand new to HubSpot, and I am coming from a Marketo background. Does anyone have information on how HubSpot handles consent when multiple forms are submitted over time?

The scenario:

- A contact submits a form and does not check the opt-in. New record is created. They get a confirmation email but no other marketing communications because they did not provide consent.

- Later, they fill out another form and DO check the opt-in box. They are now subscribed and according to our legal department, this can be valid for X months.

- They come back again and fill out another form but do not check the opt-in box.

What happens? Are they still opt-in because they initially provided an opt-in? Does the lack of confirmation remove the opt-in? Does the lack of confirmation count as an unsubscribe?

I can test this myself but I am still in early phases and don't have landing pages set up yet. 😉 Thank you for any help you can give!

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @eschwier,

Generally, this is how HubSpot manages consent:

• Consent into marketing is documented via subscription types. A contact can be opted in, not opted, or opted out. These types correspond to checkboxes on forms: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/set-up-email-subscription-types
• Consent into data processing is handled through contact property "Legal basis for data processing" which corresponds to a required checkbox on a form or which is captured implicitly by submitting the form.
• The "Marketing email confirmation status" documents whether a contact has confirmed their email address. Out of the box, this is not linked with subscriptions. A contact can be opted into a subscription type without a confirmed email address. https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/set-up-double-opt-in-for-emails
• None of the above is time-based, at least not out of the box. An email address is confirmed forever, an opt-in is valid forever, unless updated, the legal basis for data processing is valid forever, unless updated.

For your question specifically, that means that a contact coming back, not checking the box after having previously checking the box (for a subscription type), will still be opted in. HubSpot does not forget that the contact has previously checked the box.

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions!

[Ktamir · Accepted solution]

Hi,
Once a person has opted in, i.e., checked the consent text, he will remain
this way until he is opted out.

There is no time limitation, though. If you want to set a time limit, you
will need to set some sort of automation for that.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @eschwier,

Generally, this is how HubSpot manages consent:

• Consent into marketing is documented via subscription types. A contact can be opted in, not opted, or opted out. These types correspond to checkboxes on forms: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/set-up-email-subscription-types
• Consent into data processing is handled through contact property "Legal basis for data processing" which corresponds to a required checkbox on a form or which is captured implicitly by submitting the form.
• The "Marketing email confirmation status" documents whether a contact has confirmed their email address. Out of the box, this is not linked with subscriptions. A contact can be opted into a subscription type without a confirmed email address. https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/set-up-double-opt-in-for-emails
• None of the above is time-based, at least not out of the box. An email address is confirmed forever, an opt-in is valid forever, unless updated, the legal basis for data processing is valid forever, unless updated.

For your question specifically, that means that a contact coming back, not checking the box after having previously checking the box (for a subscription type), will still be opted in. HubSpot does not forget that the contact has previously checked the box.

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions!