Can One Use Facebook’s Leaked Email Database for Marketing and General Purposes?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
My question is about Facebook’s 533 million users’ email data was leaked in 2021. I downloaded that email database, and I’m using the emails for marketing and selling my products.
Also, I send hadith and Islamic messages through the email database. Can I use Facebook’s leaked email database?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
Although Facebooks user’s email data is now widely available, and these users probably assume they will get emails from all kinds of people, one cannot still send any email, marketing or non-marketing, like Islamic messages, without seeking permission from them.
Allah (Most High) says, “O believers! Do not enter any house other than your own until you have asked for permission and greeted its occupants. This is best for you, so perhaps you will be mindful.” [Quran, 24:27]
Abu Musa Al-Ashari (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Permission is to be sought thrice. If it is accorded, you may enter; otherwise, go back.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Several different laws guide the use of email marketing for commercial purposes. It’s the CAN-SPAM act in the US, the CASL laws in Canada, and, in the UK, a set of rules known as the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations of 2003.
These laws dictate several conditions email marketers must follow to avoid significant fines. Just like a country’s citizen has to follow specific rules and regulations, we as Muslims need to follow Quranic guidance and Prophetic teachings.
Check the other answer linked to the current one:
The Fiqh of Social Media: SeekersGuidance Critical Issues Seminar – SeekersGuidance
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SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)
I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.
He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
