Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-ins
Ask visitors to accept cookie tracking before chatting and collect separate email and text opt-ins during pre-chat.
What it is
Data Privacy lets the chat pane ask a visitor to accept cookie tracking before using chat. The prompt has acceptance and decline choices. Email and text opt-ins are separate choices collected in the pre-chat survey.
Who uses it and why
Users with the Settings role set the wording and the pre-chat choices. Visitors decide whether to accept tracking and whether to opt in to email or text communication. Developers coordinating a website's privacy controls need to check that those controls and the INSIDE prompt produce the intended visitor experience.
Where to find it
With the Settings role, open Settings › Chat › Themes for Data Privacy. Configure Email Opt In and Text Opt In in Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey.
Visitors may also see Cookies Opt-out in the chat menu when the privacy setup exposes it.
How it works
- When tracking acceptance is outstanding and privacy is enabled, the pane shows the configured Consent Message.
- The message input is unavailable, and pre-chat waits for acceptance.
- Selecting Accept, or its customised label, records the choice and allows the chat experience to continue.
- Selecting Decline keeps chat input unavailable. If an Opt-Out Message is supplied, the visitor can confirm with OK or return to the prompt with Cancel.
The pre-chat email and text checkboxes submit independent choices with the relevant contact details. Accepting the privacy prompt does not itself select these communication opt-ins.
Configure it
Enable Enable Data Privacy in the relevant theme. Supply the consent message, button wording and any decline confirmation in the languages you use. Include a consent message when enabling the prompt.
In the pre-chat survey, enable the email or mobile field and its corresponding opt-in. Enter the opt-in Label and choose its Default checkbox state. Check the theme uses that survey.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Data Privacy | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Off | Settings role | Allow the pane to explain privacy choices and request acceptance while the visitor has opted out of cookie tracking. |
| Consent Message | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Not set | Settings role | Set the message shown before the visitor accepts or declines. Without text, no consent prompt is displayed. |
| Opt-In Button Text | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Accept when no text is supplied | Settings role | Set the acceptance button label. |
| Opt-Out Button Text | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Decline when no text is supplied | Settings role | Set the decline button label. |
| Opt-Out Message | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Not set | Settings role | Show an optional confirmation after the visitor declines. Without text, the decline takes effect without this extra confirmation. |
| Opt-Out Menu Message | Settings › Chat › Themes › Data Privacy | website | Are you sure you want to opt out? You will no longer be able to live chat. | Settings role | Set the confirmation shown when the visitor chooses Cookies Opt-out. |
| Email Opt In | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey › Default Fields | website | Off | Settings role | Offer a separate email opt-in beside the pre-chat email field. |
| Text Opt In | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey › Default Fields | website | Off | Settings role | Offer a separate text opt-in beside the pre-chat mobile field. |
| Default | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey › Default Fields | website | Off for both email and text opt-ins | Settings role | In each opt-in section, choose whether that opt-in checkbox starts selected. |
Permissions
| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure theme privacy prompts and pre-chat opt-in choices. |
Limits and good to know
- The current pane uses the visitor's cookie-tracking state to decide whether acceptance is outstanding.
- When privacy is disabled, the chat tab and pane are unavailable while the visitor has opted out of cookie tracking.
- Cookies Opt-out asks for confirmation and warns that live chat will no longer be available.
- Cookie acceptance, email opt-in and text opt-in have different purposes. Configure each separately.
Depends on and works with
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- SMS consent and number blockingRelated
SMS keywords let contacts change text opt-in separately from pre-chat choices.
- Cookie consent and opting outRequires
The privacy prompt responds to the visitor's cookie-tracking choice.
- Visitor chat paneRequires
The visitor chat pane displays the privacy prompt and pre-chat opt-in controls.
- Visitor chat themes and brandingConfigured by
The active theme supplies privacy messages and button labels.
- Pre-chat survey for visitorsConfigured by
Pre-chat supplies the distinct email and text opt-in controls.
- Visitor chat languages and text directionEnhances
Privacy and opt-in messages can be translated.
Used by
- Cookie consent and opting outConfigured by
Data Privacy settings define the chat consent prompt and its acceptance and decline choices.
- Chat tabs for visitorsConfigured by
Privacy prompts can affect whether the tab is shown.
- Visitor messages and sending feedbackConfigured by
Privacy or disclaimer acceptance can be required before messaging.
- Pre-chat survey for visitorsConfigured by
Privacy consent can precede intake; disclaimer acceptance and communication opt-ins have separate purposes.
- Chat links for visitorsConfigured by
Required privacy consent prevents automatic chat start until supplied.
- Contact opt-in and blockingConfigured by
Pre-chat communication opt-in controls set the choices offered to visitors and their initial checkbox state.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why can the visitor not type or reach pre-chat?
Check whether the privacy prompt is waiting for acceptance. Also check the theme has a non-empty Consent Message.
Does accepting privacy also opt the visitor in to email and SMS?
No. The pre-chat survey collects those choices separately.
Why is the email or text checkbox missing?
Check the survey used by the visitor's theme. Enable the relevant contact field and its Email Opt In or Text Opt In control, and supply its label.
Can visitors change their tracking choice later?
Where available, they can choose Cookies Opt-out from the chat menu and confirm. This prevents further live chat until they accept again.