LivePerson Browser Cookies & Storage

Overview

What is a cookie? A cookie is a small piece of data sent from a website and stored in the visitors' web browser. It helps the website to remember information about a visit; so when a visitor returns in the future, the stored data can be used to identity and/or maintain an experience for the user.

Similar to cookies, other (more modern) browser storage types now exist, such as IndexedDB, localStorage, and sessionStorage. These storage types can be utilized for similar purposes as cookies, and have enhanced functionality.

LivePerson solutions (like web messaging and agent login) uses information stored in browser cookies/storage to identify returning visitors, and maintain the experience while navigating the host website.

If the relevant cookies and/or other browser storage are not consented to, blocked, or removed, the respective LivePerson solutions (such as web messaging and agent login) will not function properly.

Here are some examples:

Monitoring data

• LPVID: LivePerson web messaging visitor identifier.
• LPSID-{SiteID}: LivePerson web messaging current session identifier.

Login (agent) data

• idpLastSiteId: Last site ID for Conversational Cloud agent "Remember me" functionality.
• session_id: Conversational Cloud agent session identifier.

For a full list of LivePerson browser cookies/storage, please see this article in the Developer Center.

1st-party versus 3rd-party

Based on their source and usage permissions, browser cookies/storages can be either set as 1st-party or 3rd-party. LivePerson uses both 1st-party and 3rd-party browser cookies/storage in it's solutions.

First-party: browser storage that is set against the current domain of the web page the visitor is currently on.

• The data is only accessible within web pages on the same domain
• Ex. By default, LivePerson sets the visitor ID as a first-party cookie against the host website

Third-party: Browser storage that is set against a different domain (3rd-party) than the web page the visitor is currently on.

• The data can sometimes be accessed from different domains
  • Ex. In some scenarios, LivePerson sets data against a LivePerson domain (3rd-party)
• Chrome and Edge browsers currently allow 3rd-party cookies (by default), and partition other storage types
• Firefox and Safari browsers currently block 3rd-party cookies (by default), and partition other storage types

Secure Storage

Secure Storage is a client-side storage mechanism, that LivePerson has implemented in order to provide the best possible consumer experience. Secure Storage uses a combination of modern browser technologies (IndexedDB, localStorage, sessionStorage, and 1st-party cookies) to store necessary information on brand and/or LivePerson domains — depending on browser capabilities and account configuration.

For more information about Secure Storage, please see this article in the Developer Center. If you have any questions about this approach, please contact LivePerson Customer Support (use the chat on this page, or message Support).

Privacy

It is important to note that the browser cookies and storage LivePerson uses do not contain any personal identifiable information (PII) customer data, nor any data that can be accessible/useful outside of Conversational Cloud.

The data is only used to identity the user to LivePerson systems in order to persist the user's experience, maintain conversations, and not for advertising/marketing purposes.

Browser cookie and storage consent

Brands that elect to use our products and services are responsible for obtaining (and maintaining) consumer consent before using Conversational Cloud cookies and storage on their websites. While we include suggested best practices below, we also recommend that you seek legal advice about what would be best for your particular websites or applications in light of your offering, the reason you’re using cookies and the laws that apply to you.

Best practices

In order to stay aligned with the latest regulations, LivePerson recommends that brands adopt the following best practices regarding browser cookies and storage used by LivePerson web messaging on their website:

1. You should add a cookie/storage consent functionality to your website. It should contain a prominent banner or similar visual element when the page first loads to concisely inform the consumer about the use of cookies/storages and what action the consumer should take to consent.

• If the consumer consents, you should remember their response so you can deploy the Web Tag on all subsequent visits and pages.
• If the consumer declines, you should remember their response, so the Web Tag is not deployed on subsequent pages and visits. Additionally you may choose to refresh the current page to apply the consumer’s choice so that the Web Tag would not get deployed on that specific page.

1. In your privacy policy or cookie/storage notice, you should include information about your own use of 3rd-party cookies/storage in addition to those of LivePerson, and the purpose for their use.
2. You should inform consumers about various options they can use to disable cookies.