On April 17, 2026, the Italian data protection authority (the “Garante”) published Provision No. 284 setting out guidelines on the use of “tracking pixels” in emails (the “Guidelines”). This publication closely follows the recommendation issued by the French data protection authority on the same topic, which is discussed in a separate blog post available here.

Tracking pixels are commonly used to measure email open rates and to enable marketing automation tools. Under Italian law, the use of tracking pixels generally requires the recipient’s prior consent, unless a specific exemption applies. In its Guidelines, the Garante provides practical examples to help organizations assess when consent is (and is not) required and clarifies the compliance obligations applicable to businesses relying on these technologies in email communications. This post summarizes the key takeaways.