What is a requirement for a real-time CDP Email destination regarding email addresses?

A real-time Customer Data Platform (CDP) Email destination typically requires a hashed email address to ensure privacy and security. Hashing is a method of transforming the original email address into a unique string of characters through an algorithm. This process obscures the actual email address, protecting user identity while still allowing for meaningful engagement and analytics.

Using a hashed email address allows organizations to match and identify users across platforms without exposing sensitive information. This is particularly important in terms of compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, which emphasize user consent and data privacy.

In contrast, a plaintext email address would present security and privacy risks because it reveals the actual user information. Plain text without verification does not ensure that the email address is valid or accurate, making it unreliable for targeted communication. Lastly, having no email address would defeat the purpose of utilizing an Email destination, as there would be no way to send email communications to users.