Hashed emails, or HEMs, refer to an encryption process to anonymize an email address. Publishers of web-based content will often monetize their traffic by selling the users that visit their websites to advertisers. This inventory is sold in the form of Hashed Email addresses (or other IDs) because the website owners do not want to reveal the personally identifiable information (PII) of their visitors.
- Data Collection: When a user interacts with a website or service (e.g., subscribes to a newsletter or creates an account), their email is collected and then hashed to protect their privacy.
- Cross-Platform Identification: The hashed email is then uploaded to ad platforms like Facebook, Google, or others. These platforms match the hashed email to user accounts, allowing the marketer to target the user with personalized ads based on their previous behavior (e.g., browsing specific products).
- Intent Detection: Based on the actions or behaviors (e.g., search queries, website visits, downloads), marketers can infer a user's intent. For instance, a user who searches for "best laptop" may have high intent to purchase a laptop. Using hashed emails, marketers can create segments of users with high intent and deliver relevant offers or ads.
Is unhashing an email legal?
As far as unhashing an email - the process is quite straightforward. You already have the email address so providing more detail about an asset you possess doesn't constitute a crime. Providing detail to a list allows for marketers to prioritize and tailor messaging that should be better received by the subject. In essence, Hashed Emails help marketers achieve personalization and targeted advertising while adhering to privacy and data security standards.