Tracking unique visitors without cookies

18 days ago

Analytics tools track unique visitors through methods like cookies, localStorage, fingerprinting, and salted hashes, each with trade-offs in accuracy and privacy.
Margin uses a cookieless approach by deriving visitor IDs from IP addresses and user agents, scoped to a single day to ensure privacy and avoid cross-day tracking.
Unlike cookies and localStorage, Margin's method does not store data on the user's device, eliminating the need for consent banners under ePrivacy rules.
Margin's server-side hashing occurs within the user's infrastructure, so raw identifiers never leave their stack, enhancing trust and privacy.
Day-scoped IDs have limitations: no cross-day unique counts, merging of shared IPs, and identifier churn due to changes in user agents or network conditions.
For signed-in users, Margin can use session-based identifiers, restoring cross-day tracking and retention metrics without additional consent requirements.
Cookieless analytics like Margin shift from requiring consent banners to relying on legitimate interest under GDPR, though privacy policy disclosures are still necessary.

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