Cookieless & privacy settings
Matomo offers many options for privacy-friendly tracking, from cookieless measurement to IP masking and retention periods. I implement the technical side as your privacy advisers specify and document it clearly.
How I work
- 01Review existing setup and consent tool
- 02Implement cookieless tracking or consent
- 03IP masking and retention periods
- 04Documentation for privacy and IT
Privacy settings in Matomo
Matomo can be configured to collect very little data. These are the settings I use most often, each with its effect on the reports:
| Setting | What it does | Effect on reports |
|---|---|---|
Measuring without cookies (requireCookieConsent) |
Matomo measures without cookies and only sets them after consent | Returning visitors are recognised less often without consent |
Feature detection off (disableBrowserFeatureDetection) |
Matomo does not read device properties such as screen resolution or browser plugins | Reports on resolution and plugins stay empty |
| Shortening IP addresses | Matomo stores only part of the IP address, for example without the last two bytes | Locations are only approximate |
| Excluding URL parameters | Email addresses, tokens or session IDs in URLs are not stored | None, as long as the parameters are not needed for analysis |
| Deleting old raw data | Individual visits are deleted after a fixed period | Finished reports remain, new segments for old periods are no longer possible |
| Opt-out | Visitors can object to the measurement | These visits are missing from all reports |
| Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control | Matomo respects the browser’s Do Not Track signal, Global Privacy Control can be checked in the tracking code | These visits are missing from all reports |
Connecting consent tools
If your website uses a consent tool, I connect Matomo to it, with opt-in or opt-out. This works with all common tools because Matomo has its own interface for it in the tracking code, and with Matomo Tag Manager just as with a hard-coded tracking code.
Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Technically the settings are the same everywhere. Which of them your website needs depends on the applicable law: in Germany mainly Section 25 TDDDG and the GDPR, in Austria Section 165 TKG 2021 and the GDPR, in Switzerland the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, often called nDSG). The assessment is done by your data protection or legal advisers; I implement it technically.
What you get
- A Matomo configuration that implements your requirements technically
- Documentation of the settings for privacy and IT, which your records of processing and privacy policy can rely on
- A test whether nothing is really stored or sent to third parties before consent
Note: I advise on the technical side, not the legal one. Whether a configuration is sufficient for your case is a question for your data protection or legal advisers.
Whether your website already sends data to third parties before consent is shown by the free website check. How this website measures itself is shown on the Transparency page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a consent banner with cookieless Matomo?
It is not only about cookies. Under Section 25 TDDDG, any access to the device counts in Germany, including reading device properties. Matomo can be configured to measure without such access. Whether that is enough for your website is a question for your legal advisers.
How much do the numbers change without cookies?
Visits and pageviews stay well comparable. Returning visitors become less accurate because Matomo cannot recognise them over a longer period without a cookie.
Does this work with Matomo Tag Manager?
Yes. The settings can be made in the Matomo configuration of the Tag Manager. This website measures exactly that way.
Do you also write the privacy policy?
No, legal texts belong with your legal advisers. I provide the technical documentation they can rely on.
How long should Matomo keep raw data?
Your data protection advisers set the period. Technically, Matomo then deletes individual visits automatically, while the finished reports remain.
Related
Questions about this?
In an intro call we'll clarify where you stand and whether I'm the right fit.
Your contactPeter Boehlke, Matomo consultant from Munich, 17 years in the Matomo team