{"id":227603,"date":"2026-10-06T15:53:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/?page_id=227603"},"modified":"2026-10-06T15:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:53:15","slug":"cipa-and-website-tracking","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/","title":{"rendered":"CIPA &amp; Website Tracking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style id=\"dt-divi-integration\">body h1.entry-title.main_title{display:none !important}#main-content .container{width:100% !important;max-width:100% !important;padding-left:0 !important;padding-right:0 !important;padding-top:0 !important}#left-area{width:100% !important;float:none !important;padding:0 !important}#sidebar{display:none !important}#main-content .container:before{display:none !important}.yarpp-related,.yarpp.yarpp-related{display:none !important}#left-area article.et_pb_post{margin-bottom:0 !important}#dt-page p{padding-bottom:0}#dt-page :is(h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6){padding-bottom:0}#dt-page :is(ul,ol){padding:0;margin:0;list-style:none;line-height:inherit}#dt-page img{max-width:100%;height:auto}<\/style><style id=\"dt-page-css\">@import url('https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Lato:wght@400;#dt-page 700;900&family=Work+Sans:wght@400;500;600&family=IBM+Plex+Mono:wght@500;600&display=swap');:root{--ink:#242923;--ink-soft:#55605A;--ink-faint:#8B958E;--mint:#0EA173;--mint-fill:#10B981;--mint-tint:#F3FAF7;--teal:#4C7E93;--teal-tint:#EAF2F4;--surface:#FFFFFF;--border:#DCE7E2;--draft:#B5791A;--draft-tint:#FBF1DF;--warn:#C0453B;--warn-tint:#FDF0EE;--shadow:0 24px 48px -28px rgba(36,41,35,0.28);}#dt-page,#dt-page *{box-sizing:border-box;}#dt-page{-webkit-text-size-adjust:100%;scroll-behavior:smooth;}#dt-page{margin:0;background:var(--surface);color:var(--ink);font-family:'Work Sans','Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:1.55;}#dt-page h1,#dt-page h2,#dt-page h3,#dt-page h4{font-family:'Lato','Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;color:var(--ink);margin:0;text-wrap:balance;}#dt-page p{margin:0;}#dt-page a{color:inherit;}#dt-page code{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:.86em;background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #DCEDE5;border-radius:5px;padding:1px 6px;color:var(--ink);white-space:nowrap;}#dt-page .wrap{max-width:1120px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 32px;}#dt-page .sr-only{position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px;padding:0;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);white-space:nowrap;border:0;}#dt-page .notice{background:var(--draft-tint);border-bottom:1px solid #EEDDB8;color:#7A5312;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:12px;line-height:1.55;}#dt-page .notice .wrap{padding:10px 32px;display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:10px;flex-wrap:wrap;}#dt-page .notice strong{color:#5C3D0E;}#dt-page .notice .n-body{flex:1 1 520px;}#dt-page .notice ul{margin:4px 0 0;padding-left:18px;}#dt-page .draft-tag{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:5px;background:#fff8ea;color:#7A5312;border:1px solid #EEDDB8;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:3px 8px;border-radius:4px;white-space:nowrap;}#dt-page .draft-tag::before{content:\"\\270E\";font-size:11px;}#dt-page .breadcrumb{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.04em;color:var(--ink-faint);text-transform:uppercase;}#dt-page .breadcrumb ol{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:6px;}#dt-page .breadcrumb li{display:inline-flex;gap:6px;align-items:center;}#dt-page .breadcrumb li + li::before{content:\"\\203A\";color:#B9C4BE;}#dt-page .breadcrumb a{color:var(--teal);text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .breadcrumb a:hover{text-decoration:underline;}#dt-page .eyebrow{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:12px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--mint);background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;padding:6px 12px 6px 10px;border-radius:999px;}#dt-page .eyebrow .dot{width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-fill);}#dt-page .eyebrow .sep{color:#9CCFBA;}#dt-page .eyebrow.on-dark{background:rgba(255,255,255,0.1);border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.18);color:#8FE3C3;}#dt-page .eyebrow.on-dark .dot{background:#6FE3B6;}#dt-page .section-head{max-width:64ch;}#dt-page .section-head h2{font-size:28px;font-weight:900;letter-spacing:-0.01em;line-height:1.2;}#dt-page .section-head p{margin-top:10px;color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:15px;line-height:1.6;}#dt-page .pc-head{padding:40px 0 0;}#dt-page .pc-head .eyebrow{margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .pc-head h1{margin-top:16px;font-size:40px;font-weight:900;letter-spacing:-0.015em;line-height:1.14;max-width:900px;}#dt-page .definition{position:relative;margin-top:28px;max-width:900px;background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;border-left:5px solid var(--mint-fill);border-radius:14px;padding:26px 34px 28px 32px;overflow:hidden;}#dt-page .definition::after{content:\"\\201C\";position:absolute;right:22px;top:-18px;font-family:'Lato',Georgia,serif;font-weight:900;font-size:132px;line-height:1;color:var(--mint-fill);opacity:.13;pointer-events:none;}#dt-page .def-kicker{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--mint);margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .def-kicker::before{content:\"\";width:16px;height:2px;background:var(--mint-fill);border-radius:2px;}#dt-page .def-text{position:relative;font-family:'Lato','Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:19.5px;line-height:1.58;color:var(--ink);letter-spacing:-0.002em;}#dt-page .art-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) 248px;gap:72px;padding:44px 0 8px;align-items:start;}#dt-page .prose{max-width:700px;min-width:0;}#dt-page .prose>* + *{margin-top:16px;}#dt-page .prose .lede{font-size:17.5px;line-height:1.68;color:var(--ink);}#dt-page .prose h2{font-size:26px;font-weight:900;letter-spacing:-0.01em;line-height:1.22;margin-top:52px;scroll-margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .prose h2 + *{margin-top:14px;}#dt-page .prose h3{font-size:19px;font-weight:900;line-height:1.3;margin-top:30px;scroll-margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .prose h3 + *{margin-top:8px;}#dt-page .prose p{font-size:16px;line-height:1.72;color:var(--ink-soft);}#dt-page .prose strong{color:var(--ink);font-weight:600;}#dt-page .prose a,#dt-page .inline-link{color:var(--teal);font-weight:500;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:#B8CFD8;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;}#dt-page .prose a:hover,#dt-page .inline-link:hover{text-decoration-color:var(--teal);}#dt-page .prose ul{list-style:none;margin-left:0;padding:0;}#dt-page .prose ul li{position:relative;padding-left:24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.68;color:var(--ink-soft);}#dt-page .prose ul li + li{margin-top:8px;}#dt-page .prose ul li::before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:4px;top:.72em;width:7px;height:7px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-fill);}#dt-page .prose ol.steps{list-style:none;padding:0;counter-reset:step;}#dt-page .prose ol.steps li{position:relative;counter-increment:step;padding:2px 0 0 50px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.68;color:var(--ink-soft);min-height:32px;}#dt-page .prose ol.steps li + li{margin-top:16px;}#dt-page .prose ol.steps li::before{content:counter(step);position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:32px;height:32px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;color:var(--mint);font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:14px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}#dt-page .prose ol.steps li:not(:last-child)::after{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:15.5px;top:36px;bottom:-14px;width:1px;background:#D5E8DF;}#dt-page .prose ul.check-list li{padding:14px 18px 14px 50px;background:var(--surface);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;}#dt-page .prose ul.check-list li + li{margin-top:10px;}#dt-page .prose ul.check-list li::before{content:\"\\2713\";left:16px;top:15px;width:22px;height:22px;background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;color:var(--mint);font-size:12px;font-weight:700;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}#dt-page .prose ul.check-list li strong{font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;}#dt-page .lead-stack{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:10px;}#dt-page .prose .lead-stack{margin-top:18px;}#dt-page .lead-card{border:1px solid var(--border);border-left:3px solid var(--mint-fill);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .lead-card p{font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.66;}#dt-page .lead-card .lead{display:block;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:16.5px;color:var(--ink);margin-bottom:4px;}#dt-page .next-read{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;}#dt-page .prose .next-read{margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .next-link{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;font-size:14px;font-weight:600;color:var(--teal);text-decoration:none;background:var(--teal-tint);border:1px solid #D3E3E9;border-radius:999px;padding:9px 16px;}#dt-page .next-link:hover{border-color:var(--teal);}#dt-page .next-link svg{width:14px;height:14px;}#dt-page .visual-slot{border:1px dashed #C4D3CC;border-radius:14px;background:linear-gradient(180deg,#FBFDFC,#F4F8F6);padding:26px 24px;text-align:center;color:var(--ink-faint);display:flex;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;}#dt-page .prose .visual-slot{margin-top:26px;}#dt-page .visual-slot .vs-badge{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--mint);background:var(--mint-tint);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;padding:3px 9px;border-radius:5px;margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .visual-slot .vs-title{font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:14.5px;color:var(--ink-soft);}#dt-page .visual-slot .vs-desc{font-size:12.5px;margin-top:6px;max-width:52ch;line-height:1.5;}#dt-page .visual-slot.tall{min-height:220px;justify-content:center;}#dt-page .checklist{list-style:none;margin:22px 0 0;padding:0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:14px;counter-reset:ck;}#dt-page .checklist>li{display:grid;grid-template-columns:44px minmax(0,1fr);gap:16px;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 24px 22px 20px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .checklist .ck-num{width:40px;height:40px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-fill);color:#fff;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:17px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}#dt-page .checklist .ck-body>* + *{margin-top:12px;}#dt-page .prose .checklist h3{margin-top:6px;font-size:18.5px;}#dt-page .checklist .ck-body p,#dt-page .checklist .ck-body li{font-size:15.5px;}#dt-page .checklist-wrap{margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .checklist-head{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);}#dt-page .checklist-head .bar{flex:1;height:1px;background:var(--border);}#dt-page .toc{position:sticky;top:24px;border-left:1px solid var(--border);padding:4px 0 4px 20px;}#dt-page .toc-label{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);margin-bottom:12px;}#dt-page .toc ol{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:10px;}#dt-page .toc a{display:block;font-size:13.5px;line-height:1.4;color:var(--ink-soft);text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .toc a:hover{color:var(--mint);}#dt-page .faq-block{padding:12px 0 8px;}#dt-page .faq-block h2{font-size:26px;font-weight:900;margin-bottom:18px;scroll-margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .faq-list{max-width:80ch;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:10px;}#dt-page .faq-item{border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:2px 18px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .faq-item summary{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:16px;padding:16px 0;font-size:15.5px;font-weight:700;color:var(--ink);cursor:pointer;list-style:none;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;}#dt-page .faq-item summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none;}#dt-page .faq-item summary::after{content:\"+\";font-size:20px;font-weight:400;color:var(--mint);flex-shrink:0;}#dt-page .faq-item[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\";}#dt-page .faq-item p{padding-bottom:16px;font-size:15px;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.65;}#dt-page .band{padding:52px 0;}#dt-page .band.alt{background:var(--mint-tint);border-top:1px solid #E4F1EB;border-bottom:1px solid #E4F1EB;}#dt-page .band.rule{border-top:1px solid var(--border);}#dt-page .tile-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));gap:14px;margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .tile-grid.two{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));}#dt-page .tile{position:relative;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background:var(--surface);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px 44px 18px 20px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--ink);transition:border-color .15s,background .15s;}#dt-page .tile:hover{border-color:var(--mint-fill);}#dt-page .tile::after{content:\"\\2192\";position:absolute;right:18px;top:17px;color:var(--ink-faint);font-size:15px;transition:color .15s,transform .15s;}#dt-page .tile:hover::after{color:var(--mint);transform:translateX(2px);}#dt-page .tile .t-label{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);margin-bottom:6px;}#dt-page .tile h3{font-size:16px;font-weight:900;line-height:1.3;}#dt-page .tile p{margin-top:6px;font-size:13.5px;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.55;}#dt-page .tile.feature{grid-column:span 2;background:var(--surface);border-color:#BFDFD1;box-shadow:var(--shadow);padding:24px 52px 24px 26px;}#dt-page .tile.feature h3{font-size:21px;}#dt-page .tile.feature p{font-size:14.5px;}#dt-page .tile.feature .t-label{color:var(--mint);}#dt-page .tile .t-lane{align-self:flex-start;margin-top:10px;}#dt-page .market{margin-top:22px;max-width:900px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);border:1px solid #CFE0E6;border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;}#dt-page .market-main{background:var(--teal-tint);padding:24px 28px 26px;position:relative;}#dt-page .market-code{position:absolute;right:22px;top:18px;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:44px;letter-spacing:-0.02em;color:var(--teal);opacity:.18;line-height:1;}#dt-page .market-main .market-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--teal);}#dt-page .market-main h2{margin-top:10px;font-size:22px;font-weight:900;}#dt-page .market-main p.m-line{margin-top:8px;max-width:60ch;font-size:17px;color:var(--ink);line-height:1.6;}#dt-page .market-main .m-src{margin-top:12px;font-size:12px;color:var(--ink-faint);}#dt-page .market-main .m-src a{color:var(--teal);}#dt-page .market-laws{background:var(--surface);padding:20px 22px;}#dt-page .market-laws .ml-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .mini-tiles{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fill,minmax(240px,1fr));gap:8px;}#dt-page .mini-tile{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:9px;padding:10px 14px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--ink);font-size:14px;font-weight:600;line-height:1.3;}#dt-page .mini-tile:hover{border-color:var(--mint-fill);background:var(--mint-tint);}#dt-page .mini-tile::after{content:\"\\2192\";color:var(--ink-faint);font-weight:400;}#dt-page .mini-tile .mt-type{display:block;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:9.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);margin-bottom:2px;}#dt-page .market-laws .ml-empty{font-size:13px;color:var(--ink-faint);line-height:1.5;}#dt-page .jump{margin-top:22px;max-width:900px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:0;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .jump-col{padding:20px 24px 22px;}#dt-page .jump-col + .jump-col{border-left:1px solid var(--border);}#dt-page .jump-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);}#dt-page .jump-col h2{margin-top:6px;font-size:16.5px;font-weight:900;}#dt-page .chips{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin-top:12px;}#dt-page .chip{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:7px;font-size:13px;font-weight:600;color:var(--ink);background:var(--surface);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:999px;padding:7px 13px;text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .chip:hover{border-color:var(--mint-fill);background:var(--mint-tint);color:var(--mint);}#dt-page .chip::after{content:\"\\2192\";color:var(--ink-faint);font-weight:400;font-size:12px;}#dt-page .pillar-body{padding-top:40px;padding-bottom:8px;}#dt-page .pillar-body .prose{max-width:720px;}#dt-page .module{margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .card-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:14px;}#dt-page .card-grid.three{grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));}#dt-page .r-card{display:flex;flex-direction:column;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 22px 20px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .r-card .rc-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--mint);margin-bottom:8px;}#dt-page .r-card h3{font-size:17px;font-weight:900;line-height:1.3;}#dt-page .r-card p{margin-top:8px;font-size:14.5px;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.62;flex:1;}#dt-page .r-card .rc-go{margin-top:14px;font-size:13.5px;font-weight:600;color:var(--teal);text-decoration:none;display:inline-flex;gap:6px;align-items:center;}#dt-page .r-card .rc-go:hover{text-decoration:underline;}#dt-page .r-card.numbered{position:relative;padding-top:58px;}#dt-page .r-card.numbered .rc-n{position:absolute;left:22px;top:18px;width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-fill);color:#fff;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:14px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}#dt-page .r-card.region{text-decoration:none;color:var(--ink);position:relative;}#dt-page .r-card.region:hover,#dt-page a.r-card:hover{border-color:var(--mint-fill);}#dt-page .r-card.region .rc-code{font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:26px;color:var(--teal);opacity:.35;line-height:1;margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .feat-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:14px;}#dt-page .feat{border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .feat .f-check{width:26px;height:26px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--mint-tint);color:var(--mint);display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:12px;border:1px solid #CFE9DF;}#dt-page .feat h3{font-size:15.5px;font-weight:900;margin-bottom:6px;line-height:1.3;}#dt-page .feat p{font-size:14px;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.62;}#dt-page .feat p a{color:var(--teal);}#dt-page .feat.wide{grid-column:1 \/ -1;}#dt-page .cat-nav{margin-top:26px;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;}#dt-page .cat-nav a{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:9px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:12px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-soft);background:var(--surface);border:1px solid var(--border);padding:8px 14px;border-radius:999px;text-decoration:none;transition:border-color .15s,color .15s,background .15s;}#dt-page .cat-nav a:hover{border-color:var(--mint-fill);color:var(--mint);background:var(--mint-tint);}#dt-page .cat-nav a .count{font-size:11px;color:var(--ink-faint);font-weight:500;letter-spacing:.02em;}#dt-page .hub-intro{margin-top:26px;max-width:76ch;font-size:16px;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.65;}#dt-page .cat{padding:48px 0 8px;border-top:1px solid var(--border);scroll-margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .cat:first-of-type{border-top:none;}#dt-page .cat .eyebrow{margin-bottom:14px;}#dt-page .cat-note{margin-top:16px;font-size:14px;color:var(--ink-soft);max-width:76ch;}#dt-page .hub-callout{margin-top:4px;background:var(--teal-tint);border:1px solid #CFE0E6;border-left:4px solid var(--teal);border-radius:12px;padding:22px 26px;max-width:82ch;}#dt-page .hub-callout .hc-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--teal);margin-bottom:6px;}#dt-page .hub-callout h2{font-size:20px;font-weight:900;line-height:1.3;}#dt-page .hub-callout p{margin-top:8px;font-size:15px;line-height:1.62;color:var(--ink);}#dt-page .hub-callout a{color:var(--teal);font-weight:600;}#dt-page .closing-section{padding:56px 0 72px;}#dt-page .closing{background:var(--ink);padding:56px 32px;text-align:center;border-radius:14px;}#dt-page .closing h2{color:#fff;font-size:28px;font-weight:900;margin-top:16px;}#dt-page .closing .single-cta{margin-top:24px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;}#dt-page .region-btn{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;background:var(--mint-fill);color:#fff;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:15px;border:none;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 24px;min-width:260px;text-decoration:none;letter-spacing:.005em;line-height:1.3;cursor:pointer;}#dt-page .region-btn:hover{background:#0C9A6E;}#dt-page .region-btn svg{width:15px;height:15px;flex-shrink:0;}#dt-page .trial-fine{margin-top:14px;font-size:13px;color:#9DB3A8;line-height:1.5;}@media (max-width:980px){#dt-page .art-grid{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);gap:0;}#dt-page .toc{display:none;}#dt-page .prose{max-width:none;}#dt-page .tile-grid{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));}#dt-page .card-grid.three{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));}}@media (max-width:820px){#dt-page .market,#dt-page .jump{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);}#dt-page .jump-col + .jump-col{border-left:none;border-top:1px solid var(--border);}#dt-page .card-grid,#dt-page .feat-grid{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);}#dt-page .card-grid.three{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);}}@media (max-width:680px){#dt-page .wrap,#dt-page .notice .wrap{padding-left:20px;padding-right:20px;}#dt-page .pc-head{padding-top:28px;}#dt-page .pc-head h1{font-size:30px;}#dt-page .definition{padding:22px 20px 22px 20px;}#dt-page .def-text{font-size:16.5px;}#dt-page .prose h2{font-size:23px;margin-top:42px;}#dt-page .tile-grid,#dt-page .tile-grid.two{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);}#dt-page .tile.feature{grid-column:auto;}#dt-page .checklist>li{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);gap:10px;padding:18px;}#dt-page .closing{padding:44px 20px;}#dt-page .closing h2{font-size:24px;}#dt-page .region-btn{width:100%;min-width:0;}#dt-page code{white-space:normal;word-break:break-word;}}#dt-page .prose a.next-link,#dt-page .prose a.rc-go,#dt-page .prose a.tile,#dt-page .prose a.chip,#dt-page .prose a.mini-tile,#dt-page .prose a.r-card{text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .prose a.next-link:hover{text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .rc-go svg,#dt-page .next-link svg,#dt-page .chip svg{width:14px;height:14px;flex-shrink:0;}#dt-page .cat.faq-cat{padding-top:36px;}#dt-page .def-top{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;flex-wrap:wrap;margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .def-top .def-kicker{margin-bottom:0;}#dt-page .verdict{position:relative;z-index:1;display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;background:var(--surface);border:1px solid #CFE9DF;border-radius:999px;padding:6px 16px 6px 12px;margin-right:64px;}#dt-page .verdict .v-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);}#dt-page .verdict .v-v{font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:17px;color:var(--ink);}#dt-page .glance{margin-top:14px;max-width:900px;background:var(--surface);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:18px 24px 20px;}#dt-page .glance .g-k{font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.09em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--teal);margin-bottom:10px;}#dt-page .glance dl{margin:0;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr));gap:18px;}#dt-page .glance .g-row{border-left:3px solid var(--teal-tint);padding-left:14px;}#dt-page .glance dt{font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:900;font-size:14px;color:var(--ink);margin-bottom:4px;}#dt-page .glance dd{margin:0;font-size:15px;line-height:1.6;color:var(--ink-soft);}@media (max-width:680px){#dt-page .glance dl{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);}#dt-page .verdict{margin-right:0;}}#dt-page .shot-img{margin:28px 0 0;}#dt-page .shot-img img{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;background:#F4F8F6;box-shadow:var(--shadow);}#dt-page .shot-img figcaption{margin-top:10px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.04em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);}#dt-page .diagram{margin:28px 0 0;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:20px 20px 16px;background:var(--surface);}#dt-page .diagram svg{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;}#dt-page .diagram .dg-narrow{display:none;}#dt-page .diagram figcaption{margin-top:14px;font-size:13.5px;line-height:1.55;color:var(--ink-soft);}#dt-page .diagram .dg-tag{display:block;margin-top:8px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink-faint);}@media (max-width:680px){#dt-page .diagram .dg-wide{display:none;}#dt-page .diagram .dg-narrow{display:block;max-width:360px;margin:0 auto;}#dt-page .diagram{padding:16px 12px 14px;}}#dt-page .r1-fig{margin:22px 0 6px;}#dt-page .r1-fig img{display:block;max-width:100%;height:auto;}#dt-page .r1-diagram img{width:100%;max-width:960px;border:1px solid var(--border,#E3EAE6);border-radius:12px;background:#fff;}#dt-page .r1-hero img,#dt-page .r1-card img{width:100%;max-width:640px;aspect-ratio:640\/440;border-radius:14px;}#dt-page .r1-crop>img{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;}#dt-page .r1-crop{border:1px solid var(--border,#E3EAE6);border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;background:#fff;}#dt-page .r1-shots .r1-crop + .r1-crop{margin-top:14px;}#dt-page .r1-fig figcaption{margin-top:10px;font-size:13.5px;color:var(--ink-soft,#51605A);line-height:1.55;max-width:80ch;}#dt-page .r1-cards{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,1fr);gap:14px;}#dt-page .r1-cards img{width:100%;aspect-ratio:640\/440;border-radius:12px;}#dt-page .head-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) minmax(0,440px);gap:40px;align-items:start;}#dt-page .head-grid .r1-fig{margin-top:6px;}#dt-page .r1-hero-wide{margin-top:28px;}#dt-page .ty-hero-grid.r1-onecol{grid-template-columns:1fr;}@media (max-width:900px){#dt-page .head-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr;}#dt-page .r1-cards{grid-template-columns:1fr;}}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) minmax(0,440px);grid-template-areas:\"title media\" \"rest media\";grid-template-rows:auto 1fr;column-gap:48px;row-gap:0;align-items:start;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2>.head-title{grid-area:title;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2>.head-media{grid-area:media;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2>.head-rest{grid-area:rest;}#dt-page .head-media{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:18px;}#dt-page .head-media .r1-fig{margin:6px 0 0;}#dt-page .head-media .definition{margin-top:0;max-width:none;}#dt-page .head-media .def-text{font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;}#dt-page .head-lead{margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .head-rest>.head-lead{margin-top:0;}#dt-page .head-rest{padding-top:24px;}#dt-page .head-rest>.hero-copy>p:first-child{margin-top:0;}#dt-page .head-rest>.hero-copy{margin-top:0;}#dt-page .head-lead h2{font-size:22px;line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 10px;}#dt-page .head-lead p{margin:0 0 14px;}#dt-page .head-lead .section-head{margin:0;max-width:none;}#dt-page .ew-head{padding-bottom:56px;}#dt-page .def-kicker::before{content:none;}#dt-page .definition::after{content:none;}#dt-page .definition .def-text{font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;}#dt-page .definition .def-text strong{font-weight:700;}#dt-page .hero-link{margin-top:24px;}#dt-page .prof-grid.no-aside{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,780px);}#dt-page .case-hero .head-media .prof-glance{position:static;width:100%;}#dt-page .art-grid>article.prose>h2:first-child,#dt-page .pillar-body>.prose:first-child>h2:first-child{margin-top:0;}#dt-page .head-lead p.lede,#dt-page .head-rest p.lede{font-size:inherit;}#dt-page .case-layout.no-aside{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,780px);grid-template-areas:\"main\";}#dt-page .case-hero .head-lead .definition{margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .case-hero .head-lead .def-text{font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;}#dt-page .case-hero .head-media .case-aside{position:static;}#dt-page .case-hero .head-media .factbox{margin:0;width:100%;max-width:none;}#dt-page .case-hero .head-media .case-aside{width:100%;}@media (max-width:900px){#dt-page .head-grid.hv2{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:0;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2 .head-media{display:contents;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2>.head-title{order:1;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2 .head-media .definition{order:2;margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2 .head-media .r1-fig{order:3;margin-top:22px;}#dt-page .head-grid.hv2>.head-rest{order:4;}#dt-page .head-grid.case-hero>.head-rest{order:2;}#dt-page .head-grid.case-hero .head-media>*{order:3;margin-top:22px;}}#dt-page .tcta-band{padding:48px 0;}#dt-page .tcta{position:relative;overflow:hidden;display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) minmax(0,1.1fr);gap:40px;align-items:center;border-radius:16px;padding:40px 0 40px 40px;background:var(--ink);color:#fff;text-align:left;}#dt-page .tcta::after{content:\"\";position:absolute;right:-120px;top:-120px;width:360px;height:360px;border-radius:50%;background:radial-gradient(circle,rgba(16,185,129,.28),rgba(16,185,129,0) 70%);pointer-events:none;}#dt-page .tcta .eyebrow.on-dark{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;background:rgba(255,255,255,0.1);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);color:#8FE3C3;border-radius:999px;padding:6px 12px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:12px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:14px;}#dt-page .tcta .eyebrow.on-dark .dot{width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#6FE3B6;}#dt-page .tcta h2{font-size:28px;font-weight:900;letter-spacing:-0.01em;line-height:1.2;color:#fff;margin:0;}#dt-page .tcta .tcta-sub{margin:12px 0 0;font-size:15px;line-height:1.6;color:#CFE0D8;}#dt-page .tcta-k{margin-top:22px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#8FA69A;}#dt-page .tcta-list{list-style:none;margin:10px 0 0;padding:0;display:grid;gap:8px;font-size:14px;}#dt-page .tcta-list li{display:flex;gap:8px;align-items:flex-start;line-height:1.45;color:#fff;font-weight:600;padding-bottom:8px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.08);}#dt-page .tcta-more{list-style:none;margin:10px 0 0;padding:0;display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:8px 18px;font-size:13.5px;color:#E4EEE9;}#dt-page .tcta-more li{display:flex;gap:7px;align-items:flex-start;line-height:1.45;}#dt-page .tcta svg{width:14px;height:14px;flex-shrink:0;margin-top:3px;color:#6FE3B6;}#dt-page .tcta-act{margin-top:26px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px;flex-wrap:wrap;}#dt-page .tcta-btn{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;background:var(--mint-fill);color:#fff;font-family:'Lato',sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:16px;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 22px;text-decoration:none;}#dt-page .tcta-btn:hover{background:#0C9A6E;}#dt-page .tcta-btn svg{width:16px;height:16px;margin:0;color:#fff;}#dt-page .tcta-g2{font-size:12.5px;color:#CFE0D8;}#dt-page .tcta-g2 strong{color:#fff;}#dt-page .tcta-g2 .stars{color:#E0A32E;letter-spacing:1px;font-size:11px;}#dt-page .tcta-fine{margin:12px 0 0;font-size:12.5px;line-height:1.55;max-width:52ch;color:#8FA69A;}#dt-page .tcta-shot{align-self:stretch;display:flex;align-items:center;}#dt-page .tcta-frame{width:calc(100% + 140px);border-radius:10px 0 0 10px;overflow:hidden;box-shadow:0 30px 60px -30px rgba(0,0,0,.55);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.14);border-right:none;background:#fff;}#dt-page .tcta-frame .bar{height:26px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;padding:0 12px;background:#EEF2F0;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);}#dt-page .tcta-frame .bar i{width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:#C9D3CE;}#dt-page .tcta-frame img{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;}#dt-page .tcta-cap{margin-top:10px;font-family:'IBM Plex Mono',ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:10.5px;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#8FA69A;}@media (max-width:900px){#dt-page .tcta{grid-template-columns:1fr;padding:32px 24px 0;gap:28px;}#dt-page .tcta-shot{margin:0 -24px 0 0;}#dt-page .tcta-frame{width:100%;}}@media (max-width:600px){#dt-page .tcta h2{font-size:23px;}#dt-page .tcta-more{grid-template-columns:1fr;}#dt-page .tcta-btn{width:100%;justify-content:center;}}#dt-page .definition .def-text{font-size:16px;line-height:1.6;}<\/style><div id=\"dt-page\" class=\"dt-page\"><section class=\"pc-head\"><div class=\"wrap\"><nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/\">Resources<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/\">Privacy &amp; Compliance<\/a><\/li><li aria-current=\"page\">CIPA &amp; Website Tracking<\/li><\/ol><\/nav><div class=\"head-grid hv2\"><div class=\"head-title\"><span class=\"eyebrow\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>Privacy &amp; Compliance <span class=\"sep\">\/<\/span> Law guide<\/span><h1>What Is the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)?<\/h1><aside class=\"glance\" aria-label=\"At a glance\"><p class=\"g-k\">At a glance<\/p><dl><div class=\"g-row\"><dt>Requires<\/dt><dd>Consent before a tracker can intercept a visitor&#8217;s communications, including session replay, chat widgets, and tracking pixels.<\/dd><\/div><div class=\"g-row\"><dt>Enforced by<\/dt><dd>Private lawsuits (class actions, with statutory damages) and criminal prosecution.<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/aside><\/div><div class=\"head-media\"><figure class=\"r1-fig r1-hero\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/H-WIRETAP.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"440\"><\/figure><div class=\"definition\" id=\"definition\"><p class=\"def-kicker\">Summary<\/p><p class=\"def-text\">The <strong>California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)<\/strong> is a 1967 anti-wiretapping law that plaintiffs now apply to website tracking. It restricts intercepting or recording communications without the consent of all parties. The theory is that session-replay scripts, chat widgets and tracking pixels capture a visitor&#8217;s activity without permission, exposing the site operator to private lawsuits.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"head-rest\"><div class=\"head-lead\"><p>CIPA was written for telephone wiretapping. Over the past few years, plaintiffs&#8217; attorneys have repurposed it for the web, arguing that a tracker letting a third party observe a visitor is the modern equivalent of tapping a phone line. The law can matter outside California too. A federal appeals court held in 2025 (Briskin v. Shopify) that a Canadian company could be sued in California over tracking cookies it placed on a California resident&#8217;s device.<\/p><p>The sections below cover which parts of CIPA apply to website tracking, how tracking creates exposure, and what the law says about intent and penalties. The last section covers how to reduce your CIPA risk.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><div class=\"wrap\"><div class=\"art-grid\"><article class=\"prose\"><h2 id=\"which-parts-of-cipa-apply-to-website-tracking\">Which parts of CIPA apply to website tracking?<\/h2><p>Three sections of the California Penal Code do the work in website cases.<\/p><div class=\"lead-stack\"><div class=\"lead-card\"><p><strong class=\"lead\">Section 631 (wiretapping).<\/strong> Prohibits reading or learning the contents of a communication without consent, and prohibits aiding a third party in doing so. The website theory is that a site operator lets a third-party vendor, such as a chat or session-replay provider, &#8220;eavesdrop&#8221; on the visitor&#8217;s interaction with the site.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lead-card\"><p><strong class=\"lead\">Section 632 (eavesdropping).<\/strong> Prohibits recording a confidential communication without the consent of all parties. It appears in cases involving chat transcripts and recorded interactions.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lead-card\"><p><strong class=\"lead\">Section 638.51 (pen register).<\/strong> Prohibits using a &#8220;pen register&#8221; or &#8220;trap and trace device&#8221; that captures dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information without a court order. In 2023 a federal court in California (Greenley v. Kochava, a case about code in a mobile app) accepted that software can be a pen register. Plaintiffs have since brought pen-register claims over tracking code, arguing that a script capturing a visitor&#8217;s IP address, device, and browser details is a software pen register.<\/p><\/div><\/div><h2 id=\"how-does-website-tracking-create-cipa-exposure\">How does website tracking create CIPA exposure?<\/h2><p>The pattern is consistent. A site runs a tool that observes or captures what a visitor does, a third party is involved in that capture, and the visitor never agreed to it.<\/p><figure class=\"r1-fig r1-diagram\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/D08.png\" alt=\"A visitor types and chats on a site while a replay or chat script sends a copy to a third-party vendor as it happens.\" width=\"960\" height=\"400\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure><p>Session-replay scripts record a visitor&#8217;s clicks, scrolling, and form entries. Live-chat widgets, often run by an outside vendor, carry the conversation. Tracking pixels send a visitor&#8217;s activity and identifiers to advertising platforms. In each case a plaintiff can argue that a third party observed the visitor&#8217;s communications with the site without consent, which is the core of a CIPA claim.<\/p><p>The exposure attaches at the point of collection, before anyone has agreed to anything. A tool that starts capturing on page load, ahead of any consent, is the fact pattern these suits are built on.<\/p><h2 id=\"does-cipa-require-intent-and-what-are-the-penalties\">Does CIPA require intent, and what are the penalties?<\/h2><p>CIPA does not require a plaintiff to show financial loss, but the sections require the interception or recording to be willful or intentional. Under Penal Code section 637.2, a private plaintiff can seek the greater of $5,000 per violation or three times actual damages, and an injunction. The statute says actual damages are not a prerequisite. Because damages are set per violation, claims can scale across large numbers of site visitors.<\/p><p>For specific CIPA lawsuits, settlements, and the companies involved, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/enforcement-watch\/\">Enforcement Watch tracker<\/a>. This page covers the law and how to reduce exposure. The tracker has the individual cases.<\/p><p>CIPA is one of the US laws in our <a href=\"\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/us-website-tracking-compliance\/\">US website tracking compliance<\/a> hub, which brings together every US tracking law and the enforcement actions behind them.<\/p><h2 id=\"how-to-reduce-cipa-risk\">How to reduce CIPA risk<\/h2><p>Two controls address the fact pattern directly.<\/p><div class=\"lead-stack\"><div class=\"lead-card\"><p><strong class=\"lead\">Get consent before trackers fire.<\/strong> Session-replay, chat, and marketing tags should not capture anything until the visitor has agreed. A tool that waits for consent removes the &#8220;without permission&#8221; element these claims depend on.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"lead-card\"><p><strong class=\"lead\">Audit what your trackers capture and share.<\/strong> Know which scripts are running, what each one collects, and where it sends the data, including tags added outside your tag manager. AI answer engines asked how to reduce CIPA risk now prescribe exactly this, auditing your data sharing, yet most sites have no way to see it.<\/p><\/div><\/div><p>DataTrue provides that view. It runs your site in a real browser, records every tag and what it captures, and tests whether anything fires before consent. Sensitive Data Detection inspects the payloads for personal data using fictitious personas, so you can see what a session-replay or chat tool is actually collecting without exposing a real visitor. The output is a timestamped record of what each tracker captured and when, which is both the evidence of a problem and the confirmation once it is fixed.<\/p><p><a href=\"\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/consent-verification\/\">See how consent verification works<\/a><\/p><section class=\"faq-block\" aria-labelledby=\"questions\"><h2 id=\"questions\">Questions<\/h2><div class=\"faq-list\"><details class=\"faq-item\" open><summary>What is the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)?<\/summary><p>CIPA is a California anti-wiretapping law from 1967 that restricts intercepting or recording a person&#8217;s communications without the consent of all parties. Plaintiffs now apply it to website tracking, arguing that session-replay scripts, chat widgets, and tracking pixels capture a visitor&#8217;s activity without permission.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq-item\"><summary>Does CIPA apply to my website if I am not in California?<\/summary><p>It can. A federal appeals court held in 2025 (Briskin v. Shopify) that a Canadian company could be sued in California over tracking cookies it placed on a California resident&#8217;s device. Whether a court can hear a claim against you depends on the facts, so if California residents visit your site and it runs session replay, chat, or tracking pixels without consent, treat the exposure as real.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq-item\"><summary>Does CIPA require intent to harm?<\/summary><p>Intent to harm is not required, and neither is financial loss, but the sections require the interception or recording to be willful or intentional. Under Penal Code section 637.2, a private plaintiff can seek the greater of $5,000 per violation or three times actual damages.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq-item\"><summary>How do I reduce my CIPA exposure?<\/summary><p>Get consent before any tracking, chat, or session-replay tool runs, and audit what each tool captures and shares. Confirm with testing that nothing fires before consent and that no tracker is collecting more than you intend. That is the specific remediation these cases point to.<\/p><\/details><\/div><\/section><\/article><aside class=\"toc\" aria-label=\"On this page\"><p class=\"toc-label\">On this page<\/p><ol><li><a href=\"#which-parts-of-cipa-apply-to-website-tracking\">Which parts of CIPA apply to website tracking?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-does-website-tracking-create-cipa-exposure\">How does website tracking create CIPA exposure?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#does-cipa-require-intent-and-what-are-the-penalties\">Does CIPA require intent, and what are the penalties?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-reduce-cipa-risk\">How to reduce CIPA risk<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#questions\">Questions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#related\">Related guides<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/aside><\/div><\/div><section class=\"band alt\" aria-labelledby=\"related\"><div class=\"wrap\"><div class=\"section-head\"><h2 id=\"related\">Related guides<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"tile-grid\"><a href=\"\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/us-website-tracking-compliance\/\" class=\"tile\"><span class=\"t-label\">Regional guide<\/span><h3>United States<\/h3><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"tcta-band\"><div class=\"wrap\"><div class=\"tcta\"> <div class=\"tcta-copy\"><span class=\"eyebrow on-dark\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span>30-day free trial<\/span><h2>See what your tags do in every consent state<\/h2><p class=\"tcta-sub\">DataTrue loads your real pages as a visitor who accepts, rejects, or sends an opt-out signal, and reads what each tag sends. A tag that ignores the visitor&#8217;s choice shows up in a test.<\/p> <div class=\"tcta-k\">What DataTrue checks<\/div><ul class=\"tcta-list\"><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>Every page, with coverage scans<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>Scheduled runs, with alerts when a result changes<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>Full journeys, like checkout and signup, in each consent state<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>What each tag sent, field by field<\/li><\/ul> <div class=\"tcta-k\">Also in the full platform<\/div><ul class=\"tcta-more\"><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>PII detection with test personas<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>iOS and Android app testing<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>Pre-publish testing for GTM and Adobe Tags<\/li><li><svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5l3 3 6-7\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg>REST API, plus Slack and Jira alerts<\/li><\/ul> <div class=\"tcta-act\"><a class=\"tcta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/start-free-trial\/\">Start a free 30-day trial <svg viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8h10M9 4l4 4-4 4\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.6\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><\/a><span class=\"tcta-g2\"><span class=\"stars\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> <strong>4.6\/5<\/strong> on G2<\/span><\/div> <p class=\"tcta-fine\">The full platform, every feature, free for 30 days.<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"tcta-shot\"><div style=\"width:100%\"><div class=\"tcta-frame\"><div class=\"bar\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/consent-state-test-edited.png\" alt=\"A DataTrue opt-out consent test listing the tags that should be blocked, with pass or fail for each\" width=\"1402\" height=\"876\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div><div class=\"tcta-cap\">A consent-state test in DataTrue<\/div><\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/section><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"CIPA is a California anti-wiretapping law from 1967 that restricts intercepting or recording a person's communications without the consent of all parties. Plaintiffs now apply it to website tracking, arguing that session-replay scripts, chat widgets, and tracking pixels capture a visitor's activity without permission.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does CIPA apply to my website if I am not in California?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It can. A federal appeals court held in 2025 (Briskin v. Shopify) that a Canadian company could be sued in California over tracking cookies it placed on a California resident's device. Whether a court can hear a claim against you depends on the facts, so if California residents visit your site and it runs session replay, chat, or tracking pixels without consent, treat the exposure as real.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does CIPA require intent to harm?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Intent to harm is not required, and neither is financial loss, but the sections require the interception or recording to be willful or intentional. Under Penal Code section 637.2, a private plaintiff can seek the greater of $5,000 per violation or three times actual damages.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do I reduce my CIPA exposure?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Get consent before any tracking, chat, or session-replay tool runs, and audit what each tool captures and shares. Confirm with testing that nothing fires before consent and that no tracker is collecting more than you intend. That is the specific remediation these cases point to.\"}}]}<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home Resources Privacy &amp; Compliance CIPA &amp; Website Tracking Privacy &amp; Compliance \/ Law guide What Is the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)? At a glance Requires Consent before a tracker can intercept a visitor&#8217;s communications, including session replay, chat widgets, and tracking pixels. Enforced by Private lawsuits (class actions, with statutory damages) and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":227593,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-227603","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DataTrue\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/datatruedigital\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/New-DT-Logo.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1328\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"208\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@data_true\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/cipa-and-website-tracking\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/cipa-and-website-tracking\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-06T15:53:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/cipa-and-website-tracking\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/cipa-and-website-tracking\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/cipa-and-website-tracking\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/datatrue-home-2026\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Resources\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Privacy &amp; Compliance\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/privacy-compliance\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"CIPA &amp; Website Tracking\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"DataTrue\",\"description\":\"Web Analytics Quality Assurance\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"DataTrue\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/New-DT-Logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/New-DT-Logo.png\",\"width\":1328,\"height\":208,\"caption\":\"DataTrue\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/datatrue.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/datatruedigital\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/data_true\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/Datatrue\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue","description":"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue","og_description":"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.","og_url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/","og_site_name":"DataTrue","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/datatruedigital\/","og_image":[{"width":1328,"height":208,"url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/New-DT-Logo.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@data_true","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/","url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/","name":"What Is CIPA? A Website-Tracking Guide | DataTrue","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-10-06T15:53:15+00:00","description":"The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is now used against website tracking. How pixels and session replay create exposure, and how to reduce it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/cipa-and-website-tracking\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/datatrue-home-2026\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Resources","item":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Privacy &amp; Compliance","item":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/resources\/privacy-compliance\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"CIPA &amp; Website Tracking"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/","name":"DataTrue","description":"Web Analytics Quality Assurance","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#organization","name":"DataTrue","url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/New-DT-Logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/New-DT-Logo.png","width":1328,"height":208,"caption":"DataTrue"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/datatruedigital\/","https:\/\/x.com\/data_true","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Datatrue"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/227603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227603"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/227603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":227834,"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/227603\/revisions\/227834"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/227593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/datatrue.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}