As third-party cookies are being phased out by most browsers (iOS already blocked them in 2020 and Chrome looking to do so in 2022) we no longer rely on them. In addition, it’s also common for users to periodically empty their browser’s cache.
3rd party cookies are thus very unreliable even today. Even if you had a cookie popup and your customers clicked “I approve” their iPhone would not install the 3rd party cookie – and you wouldn’t be able to follow them. Even if they approved it. Cookies are dead.
Leadoo is however future proof, for the time after cookies, as we use HTTP header ETags to identify a user. And much like pretty much all other technologies, Leadoo also uses session storage and local storage. Technically this is a more robust way when browser cookies are iffy already today. In terms of user compliance for tracking them, the same is required by eTags as is required for cookies for instance by ePrivacy regulations: You always need to ask for consent before starting to track somebody – regardless of technology.
What are Etags?
ETags are a way to track different browsers, similar to how cookies are used. Technically the implementation details are a bit different. ETags are built for recognizing if the web browser already has an asset (such as an image or video) so that the server doesn’t need to send it over the wire again.
In practice, eTags are used in a similar way to cookies to fingerprint a user and to know that a browser that visits the site right now is the same one that visited the site a week ago.
Here is a list of ways Leadoo’s bots and technologies track you if you give consent.
Leadoo Browser Storage Usage
FUNCTIONAL
session storage “ld_session_origin“ – The ld_session_origin serves as a reference to the domain where the current session initiated. It’s used to recognise when there’s a domain shift and determine if a new session should begin.
session storage “ld_al_exp” – Session expiry timestamp.
local storage “ld_bot_consent” – Set after the user has interacted with the bot. After this Leadoo Analytics may be activated.
ld_BOTID_open_time where BOTID is the numerical ID of a bot (used for tracking open visual bot modals were opened)
session storage “ld_env” – storing UTM parameters and referrer, for the purpose of managing referrals across pages.
ANALYTICAL
Etag “iapi.leadoo.com” – eTags is used for connecting one visitor session with the next. (Technically all websites always use “hundreds” of etags)
local storage “Id_id” – Set by Leadoo Analytics for detecting device being used
session storage “ld_co” – unique id of the company profile identified by analytics script (for the current session only).
session storage “ld_cinf” – Basic information about the company, without identifiable data, resolved during company identification process.
session storage “ld_session_id” – Application session to distinguish client server connections from each other.
ld_wse – website events buffer
Other
You may encounter other cookies and such as well like
cookie “__cfduid” – This relates to content delivery network called Cloudflare. See Understanding the Cloudflare Cookies
Cookie “ga” and similarly – See Google Analytics and how they use cookies.
