Data privacy and HubSpot: What you need to know
Data privacy and HubSpot: What you need to know
We’re not qualified to provide legal advice, but we’ve gathered reliable, up-to-date information to guide your data journey.
For a deeper dive on keeping your database trustworthy, check out our pillar on clean marketing data.
Data privacy is one of those terms everyone throws around, and for good reason.
- State laws are multiplying. Eight more states, including Delaware, Iowa, and Minnesota, passed comprehensive privacy acts, creating a patchwork of rules your CRM must now comply with.
- Sensitive data gets stricter. Most new laws require opt-in consent for data tied to health, biometrics, or precise location - categories that CRMs often store.
- Federal action is looming. The proposed American Privacy Rights Act could unify these state rules, but until it passes, businesses must manage compliance state by state.
At its core, data privacy refers to how your company collects, stores, and uses information about customers and prospects.
For example, when someone downloads your ebook, they’re consciously sharing data (like their name, company, and email) in exchange for your content.
That’s a clear consent exchange.
But even passive website visitors share data automatically.
Their IP address, clicks, session length, and referring sites all leave digital traces. That’s why you see ads on social media for products you just Googled - your online behavior forms a trail marketers can target.
This is exactly what modern privacy laws aim to regulate.
What are data privacy laws & what do you need to do?
Data privacy laws are frameworks created to protect individuals from misuse of personal information.
They regulate what companies can collect, how long they can keep it, and how they must protect and disclose it.
These laws vary by country and state, but they all share one principle: people should have control over their own data.
Key Regulations to Know
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The GDPR is the most comprehensive data protection law to date.
It applies to any business worldwide that processes data from people located in the European Union.
It sets strict requirements for consent, transparency, storage, and deletion of personal data - and violations can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover (whichever is higher).
Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM Act)
This U.S. law governs commercial email.
It requires marketers to include clear identification, an unsubscribe option, and a valid business address (and to process opt-outs within 10 business days).
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA sets national standards for protecting sensitive health data in the United States.
Any business handling “protected health information” (PHI), not just hospitals, must follow its privacy and security rules.
Other U.S. State Laws
Several U.S. states now have their own privacy frameworks, such as the California
Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which grant residents rights to access, delete, or opt out of data collection. Similar laws exist in Virginia.
Data privacy in HubSpot & Salesforce
Your CRM systems, HubSpot and Salesforce, are both data processors and repositories. The integrity of your integration depends on the quality and compliance of the data you store. (A quick win: tighten your mappings to cut sync errors in half.)
If your organization aligns with GDPR, you’re already meeting many global privacy standards.
Both HubSpot and Salesforce offer built-in tools to help.
HubSpot’s GDPR tools
HubSpot includes features that help meet GDPR obligations, such as
- Cookie consent banners for tracking transparency
- GDPR-ready form options with consent checkboxes
- Email subscription preferences and easy opt-outs
- GDPR delete requests, allowing you to permanently remove a contact and all associated data directly from their record
Salesforce’s privacy & security controls
Salesforce supports GDPR and other global laws through:
- Consent management tools for lawful data collection
- Data deletion and anonymization requests for compliance with the “right to be forgotten”
- Granular access controls so data is only visible to authorized users
- International security certifications, including ISO 27001 and SOC 2
Where to start
In marketing and sales, data is your performance engine, but it also comes with responsibility.
Here are some core privacy best practices to implement:
- Collect only what’s necessary. Limit forms to essential details (name, company, email). Less clutter, fewer risks.
- Build your own database. Buying lists for cold outreach is ineffective and often illegal under anti-spam laws. (Here’s how to generate quality leads without buying lists.)
- Get clear consent. Tell people what you’ll do with their information and give them the option to say yes or no.
- Add transparency. Display cookie notices, link to your privacy policy, and explain how users can manage their preferences.
- Secure your systems. Use encryption, access controls, and periodic audits to keep data safe.
- Set deletion timelines. Retain data only as long as your business needs or the law allows.
- Review third-party tools. Ensure vendors like analytics platforms or ad systems comply with your privacy standards.
Bottom Line
Strong data privacy practices protect more than your customers; they protect your brand. With evolving laws and increasing consumer awareness, businesses that handle data transparently build trust faster and face fewer operational risks.
If you’re unsure where to start, begin with a simple audit of what data you collect, where it lives, and who has access. The rest follows naturally from there.
See our complete HubSpot audit checklist to guide the review.
