Cookie Policy
LiveChat rewrote its Cookie Policy for clarity, but a few substantive changes stand out: cookies and similar tools may now explicitly collect contact details you provide directly (not just browsing behavior), a new clause shifts responsibility for consent on client-embedded chat widgets to the client company rather than LiveChat, and language guaranteeing that third parties acting on LiveChat's behalf follow LiveChat's contractual instructions was removed. The policy also now spells out that opting out isn't retroactive and doesn't carry across devices or browsers.
Tracking tools can now explicitly collect contact details you type in
LiveChat added APIs to its list of tracking tools and now says these tools can gather information you provide directly, like your contact details, not just your browsing behavior. This widens what personal data these technologies may capture.
“which may also be used to collect information you provide directly (such as contact details) and information about your interactions with our Websites and Services”
What you can do — Be mindful of what contact information you type into chat widgets or forms, since it may now be explicitly tied to tracking technologies; check LiveChat's Privacy Policy for how that data is used.
DATA COLLECTION
Responsibility for widget consent shifted to the business hosting it
If you interact with a LiveChat-powered chat widget on a company's own website, that company (not LiveChat) may now be the one responsible for telling you about tracking and giving you choices. This means you may need to go to that company, not LiveChat, for privacy questions about that specific widget.
“the Client determines its configuration and may be responsible for the notice and choices offered to visitors there”
What you can do — If you have privacy questions about a chat widget on a specific website, check that website's own privacy or cookie notice rather than only LiveChat's.
OTHER
Dropped assurance that vendors acting for LiveChat follow its instructions
The old policy promised that when third-party vendors process your data on LiveChat's behalf, they do so only under LiveChat's contractual instructions. That promise was removed, and the new text just says third-party-collected data is governed by the third party's own policies — without reaffirming that LiveChat still controls what those vendors can do with it.
“Where third-party providers act on our behalf, they process information in accordance with our instructions and applicable contractual obligations.”
What you can do — If you want to know how a specific third-party tool (e.g., Google Analytics, Meta Pixel) handles your data, review that provider's own privacy policy directly rather than relying on LiveChat's assurances.
DATA SHARING
Opt-out choices don't carry across devices or undo past collection
The policy now clarifies that turning off cookies only stops future tracking — it doesn't delete data already collected — and that an opt-out you set on one browser or device won't apply to your other browsers or devices.
“may not change a choice recorded on another device or browser”
What you can do — Repeat your opt-out choices on every browser and device you use, since setting it once won't cover all of them.
OTHER
| 1 | This Cookie Policy explains how **Text** uses cookies and similar technologies in connection with the Engagements, including our public Websites and Services, regardless of the device or technology used to access them. For purposes of this Cookie Policy, "Engagements" means the various ways individuals interact with **Text**, including through our Websites, Services, events, educational initiatives, communications, and other activities offered by **Text.** | |
| 1 | This Cookie Policy explains how **Text** uses cookies and similar technologies in connection with the Engagements, including our public Websites and Services, regardless of the device or technology used to access them. It explains what these technologies do, when we ask for your choice, and how you can change that choice. The technologies used may vary by Website, Services, events, educational initiatives, communications, and other activities offered by **Text**. For information regarding the categories of Personal Data processed through these technologies, the purposes of processing, applicable legal bases, recipients of Personal Data, retention, international data transfers, and your privacy rights, please refer to our [Privacy Policy](https://livechatinc.com/legal/privacy-policy/). | |
± CHANGEDIntro reworded to explain purpose and point to Privacy Policy The opening section was rewritten to more clearly state what the policy covers and to direct readers to the Privacy Policy for details on data categories, legal bases, and retention. | ||
| 2 | 2 | |
| 3 | This Cookie Policy also explains the categories of cookies and similar technologies we use, the purposes for which they are used, and the choices available to you regarding their use. For information regarding the categories of Personal Data processed through these technologies, the purposes of processing, applicable legal bases, recipients of Personal Data, retention, international data transfers, and your privacy rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy. | |
| 3 | For purposes of this Cookie Policy, "Engagements" means the various ways individuals interact with **Text**, including through our Websites, Services, events, educational initiatives, communications, and other activities offered by **Text.** All other capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the [Terms of Use](https://livechatinc.com/legal/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://livechatinc.com/legal/privacy-policy/), as applicable. | |
| 4 | 4 | |
| 5 | For the purposes of this Cookie Policy, all other capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the [Terms of Use](https://livechatinc.com/legal/terms-of-use/) and [Privacy Policy](https://livechatinc.com/legal/privacy-policy/), as applicable. | |
| 5 | ## **What cookies and similar technologies are** | |
| 6 | 6 | |
| 7 | ## **What are cookies and similar technologies?** | |
| 8 | ||
| 9 | 7 | Cookies are small data files placed on or accessed from your browser or device that enable our Websites, applications, and the Services to recognize your browser or device and remember information about your interactions with them. |
| 10 | 8 | |
| 11 | Along with cookies, we may use similar technologies, including unique identifiers, URL and pixel trackers, local storage, and scripts. These technologies help us maintain authenticated sessions, support communication workflows, improve the reliability, performance and security of our Website and Services, analyze usage trends, personalize your experience where appropriate, and improve how we deliver and support our Engagements. | |
| 9 | Along with cookies, we may use similar technologies, including unique identifiers, URL and pixel trackers, local storage, and scripts, and APIs, which may also be used to collect information you provide directly (such as contact details) and information about your interactions with our Websites and Services. These technologies help us maintain authenticated sessions, support communication workflows, improve the reliability, performance and security of our Website and Services, analyze usage trends, personalize your experience where appropriate, and improve how we deliver and support our Engagements. | |
± CHANGEDTracking tools expanded to include APIs and direct data collection The list of tracking technologies now includes APIs, and the policy clarifies that these tools can collect information you type in yourself, like contact details, in addition to tracking your browsing activity. | ||
| 12 | 10 | |
| 13 | ## **How we use cookies and similar technologies?** | |
| 11 | ## **Where this policy applies** | |
± CHANGEDSection headers and terminology renamed Headers like 'How we use cookies' and 'Categories of cookies' were renamed to 'Where this policy applies' and 'Categories and purposes,' and 'cookies' was replaced with 'technologies' in several places. These are wording/formatting changes with no substantive effect. | ||
| 14 | 12 | |
| 15 | Not every Engagement involves cookies or similar technologies. Depending on the nature of your Engagements with **Text**, we may use different categories of cookies and similar technologies in connection with our public Websites, our Services, or both. Where used, these technologies generally relate either to your interactions with our Websites ("Website Cookies") or to your access to and use of our Services ("Service Cookies"). | |
| 13 | Not every Engagement involves cookies or similar technologies. Depending on the nature of your Engagements with **Text**, we may use different categories of cookies and similar technologies that relate either to your interactions with our Websites ("Website Cookies") or to your access to and use of our Services ("Service Cookies"). | |
| 16 | 14 | |
| 17 | Website Cookies are used when you visit our public Websites. They help us operate, maintain, and improve our Websites, understand how you use them, remember your preferences, measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns, personalize content, and improve the overall user experience. | |
| 15 | Website Cookies help us operate, maintain, and improve our Websites, understand how you use them, remember your preferences, measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns, personalize content, and improve the overall user experience. | |
| 18 | 16 | |
| 19 | Service Cookies are used when you access or use our Services under an Agreement with **Text**. They support the provision, operation, maintenance, security, and reliability of the Services by maintaining authenticated sessions, supporting Client SSO and identity continuity, recognizing returning Users, preventing fraud and abuse, securing access to our Services and enabling the proper functioning of client-facing features, applications and widgets. | |
| 17 | In the Services, certain technologies support the provision, operation, maintenance, security, and reliability of the Services by maintaining authenticated sessions, supporting Client SSO and identity continuity, recognizing returning Users (including through contact details Users provide directly), preventing fraud and abuse, securing access to our Services and enabling the proper functioning of client-facing features, applications and widgets. | |
± CHANGEDReturning-user recognition now explicitly includes contact details Service-related tracking used to recognize returning users now explicitly notes it may rely on contact details you've provided, not just session identifiers. | ||
| 20 | 18 | |
| 21 | This Cookie Policy primarily describes cookies and similar technologies used in connection with our public Websites. Cookies and similar technologies necessary to provide, secure, maintain, and operate the Services are described at a high level in this Cookie Policy. Product-specific implementation details are available in our [Service Cookies Notice](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/). | |
| 19 | When a Client places a **Text** widget or other Services on its own website or application, the Client determines its configuration and may be responsible for the notice and choices offered to visitors there. **Text** and the Client may have different roles for different processing activities. See the Client's notice for its implementation and our [Service Cookies Notice](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/) for product details. | |
+ ADDEDNew section on client-embedded widgets A new paragraph explains that when a business (a 'Client') embeds a LiveChat widget on its own site, that business controls the widget's settings and may be the one responsible for giving notice and choices to visitors, not LiveChat. | ||
| 22 | 20 | |
| 23 | ## **Categories of cookies and similar technologies** | |
| 21 | ## **Categories and purposes** | |
| 24 | 22 | |
| 25 | ### **Essential cookies** | |
| 23 | ### **Necessary/Essential technologies** | |
| 26 | 24 | |
| 27 | These cookies are strictly necessary for our Website and, where applicable, our Services to function properly. Depending on the nature of your Engagements with **Text**, they support core functionality necessary to provide, secure, maintain, and operate our Websites and Services. | |
| 25 | These technologies are used to deliver Website, or Service to support core functionality,such as authentication; session management, Client SSO, security protection, fraud prevention, load balancing, and maintaining the availability, integrity, and reliability of our Websites and Services. | |
| 26 | Without these cookies, certain features of our Websites or Services may not function properly. Where you access or use our Services, additional product-specific cookies and similar technologies may also support core Service functionality. They do not serve third-party advertising, cross-site behavioral advertising, or cross-client targeting of End Users or optional analytics purposes. | |
± CHANGEDEssential/necessary cookies clarified as excluded from optional analytics too The policy now explicitly states that strictly necessary cookies are not used for optional analytics purposes, in addition to not being used for advertising or cross-site targeting. | ||
| 28 | 27 | |
| 29 | Essential Cookies enable functionality such as authentication; session management, Client SSO, security protection, fraud prevention, load balancing, and maintaining the availability, integrity, and reliability of our Websites and Services. | |
| 28 | ### **Functional technologies** | |
| 30 | 29 | |
| 31 | Without these cookies, certain features of our Websites or Services may not function properly. Where you access or use our Services, additional product-specific cookies and similar technologies may also support core Service functionality. For more information, please see our [Service Cookies Notice](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/). | |
| 30 | These allow us to remember your preferences and settings to improve your experience on our Websites. They help support language or interface preferences, or other choices you make while visiting our Websites, and help maintain optional continuity features across devices and sessions. | |
| 32 | 31 | |
| 33 | Essential Cookies are not used for third-party advertising, cross-site behavioral advertising, or cross-client targeting of End Users. | |
| 32 | In the Services, they may also remember certain user preferences or support continuity of your authenticated experience. | |
| 34 | 33 | |
| 35 | ### **Functional cookies** | |
| 36 | ||
| 37 | These cookies and technologies allow us to remember your preferences and settings to improve your experience on our Websites. They help support language preferences, user interface settings, or other choices you make while visiting our Websites, and help maintain continuity across devices and sessions. | |
| 38 | ||
| 39 | Where you access or use our Services, cookies and similar technologies may also remember certain user preferences or support continuity of your authenticated experience. For more information about product-specific functionality, please see our [Service Cookies Notice](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/). | |
| 40 | ||
| 41 | 34 | Disabling these cookies may affect certain features, personalization, or user preferences, but the core functionality of our Websites and Services will generally remain available. |
| 42 | 35 | |
| 43 | ### **Analytics and Performance cookies** | |
| 36 | ### **Analytics and Performance technologies** | |
| 44 | 37 | |
| 45 | These cookies help us understand how Visitors use our Websites so that we can improve performance, functionality, reliability, and user experience. They may collect information such as page visits, navigation paths, feature usage, clicks, scrolling behavior, browser information, and aggregated usage statistics. | |
| 38 | These help us understand Website use, diagnose problems and improve performance, functionality, reliability, and user experience. They may collect information such as page visits, navigation paths, feature usage, interactions, clicks, scrolling behavior, browser information, and aggregated usage statistics. | |
| 46 | 39 | |
| 47 | Where reasonably possible, analytics information is aggregated or anonymized before being used to improve our Websites, Services, and other operational activities. Where analytics are performed across Client environments, they are based on aggregated and anonymized information and are not used to identify or target individual End Users across Clients or to provide one Client with access to another Client's Data. For more information about product-specific analytics, please see our [Service Cookies Notice](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/). | |
| 40 | Where reasonably possible, analytics information is aggregated or anonymized before being used to improve our Websites, Services, and other operational activities. Where analytics are performed across Client environments, they are based on aggregated and anonymized information and are not used to identify or target individual End Users across Clients or to provide one Client with access to another Client's Data. | |
| 48 | 41 | |
| 49 | ### **Advertising and Marketing Cookies** | |
| 42 | ### **Advertising and Marketing technologies** | |
| 50 | 43 | |
| 51 | These cookies are generally used in connection with our public Websites, marketing pages, campaigns, and other marketing-related Engagements. They help us understand how Visitors find our Websites, measure the effectiveness of our marketing activities, personalize marketing content where permitted by applicable law, understand referral sources, and display advertisements for **Text** on third-party websites and platforms. | |
| 44 | On our Websites and marketing pages, these may measure campaigns and other marketing-related Engagements, personalize marketing content where permitted by applicable law, identify referral sources, and help display **Text** advertisements on other sites and platforms. They may be placed by **Text** or by authorized third-party marketing and advertising providers acting on our behalf. | |
| 52 | 45 | |
| 53 | These cookies may be placed by **Text** or by authorized third-party marketing and advertising providers acting on our behalf. | |
| 46 | **Text** does not use Advertising and Marketing technologies within the Services for third-party advertising, cross-site behavioral advertising, or cross-Client targeting of individual End Users. | |
| 54 | 47 | |
| 55 | **Text** does not use Advertising and Marketing Cookies within the Services for third-party advertising, cross-site behavioral advertising, or cross-Client targeting of individual End Users. For more information regarding cookies and similar technologies used in connection with the Services, please refer to our [Service Cookies Notice.](https://www.text.com/legal/service-cookies-notice/) | |
| 48 | ### **Third-party technologies** | |
| 56 | 49 | |
| 57 | ### **Third-party cookies and other technologies** | |
| 50 | Some technologies are provided by third-party providers that support analytics, security, communications, infrastructure, advertising, social media, customer engagement, and similar services. Depending on the applicable technology and the role performed, third-party providers may process information either on our behalf or in their own capacity, depending on the particular tool and arrangement. Any information collected through third parties, is governed by their own privacy notices and cookie policies. We do not control cookies or similar technologies operated independently by such providers. | |
| 58 | 51 | |
| 59 | We may work with third-party providers that support analytics, security, communications, infrastructure, advertising, social media, customer engagement, and similar services. Depending on the applicable technology and the role performed, third-party providers may process information either on our behalf or in their own capacity, as described in their applicable privacy notices and cookie policies. | |
| 60 | ||
| 61 | Where third-party providers act on our behalf, they process information in accordance with our instructions and applicable contractual obligations. Where third-party providers operate independently, their use of cookies and similar technologies, and any information collected through them, is governed by their own privacy notices and cookie policies. We do not control cookies or similar technologies operated independently by such providers. | |
− REMOVEDRemoved statement that third parties acting on LiveChat's behalf follow LiveChat's instructions The policy previously distinguished between third-party vendors acting on LiveChat's behalf (bound by LiveChat's contractual instructions) and those acting independently (governed by their own policies). The new version drops that distinction and says any information collected through third parties is simply governed by the third party's own notices. | ||
| 62 | ||
| 63 | 52 | Such providers may include, for example, Google Analytics, Google Ads, Meta/Facebook Pixel, Reddit Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Hotjar, Mixpanel, Microsoft Clarity, HubSpot Tracking Code, Cloudflare, and other similar providers and security tools. The third-party technologies used may change over time depending on the Engagement, applicable functionality, or business needs. Other third-party tools may also be used depending on your interaction with our Websites, Services, or campaigns. We encourage you to review the applicable privacy notices and cookie management tools provided by those third parties and to check which cookies or similar technologies are active in your browser. |
| 64 | 53 | |
| 65 | ## **How to manage cookies?** | |
| 54 | ## **Your choices** | |
| 66 | 55 | |
| 67 | You may manage your cookie preferences through cookie preference tools made available by **Text** (where available), browser settings, or third-party opt-out mechanisms. | |
| 56 | You can change or withdraw your choice at any time through cookie preference tools made available by **Text** (where available), browser settings, or third-party opt-out mechanisms. | |
| 68 | 57 | |
| 69 | 58 | You can manage cookies in your browser settings: |
| 70 | 59 | |
| 71 | 60 | - [Google Chrome](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647) |
| 72 | 61 | |
| 73 | 62 | - [Internet Explorer](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/Search/results) |
| 81 | 70 | - [Opera for Mobile](https://forums.opera.com/topic/36139/view-cookies-of-every-website-on-opera-for-mobile/2) |
| 82 | 71 | |
| 83 | 72 | - [Safari for Desktop](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-sfri11471/mac) |
| 84 | 73 | |
| 85 | 74 | - [Safari for Mobile](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265) |
| 86 | 75 | |
| 87 | Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect functionality, authentication, personalization, security, or availability of some Websites or Services. | |
| 76 | Disabling certain technologies and withdrawal affects future use of the relevant technologies and may affect functionality, authentication, personalization, security, or availability of some Websites or Services. Your browser may allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking strictly necessary cookies can disrupt sign-in, security, or features you request. Provider controls and browser settings may supplement the **Text** preference tool, but may not change a choice recorded on another device or browser. If a Client deploys our widget on its property, use that Client's privacy or cookie controls for choices about the Client's deployment. | |
| 88 | 77 | |
| 89 | 78 | You may also use industry opt-out tools and provider-specific controls listed below. |
| 90 | 79 | |
| 91 | 80 | ### **Specific opt-out tools for cookies and other similar technologies** |
| 92 | 81 | |
| 93 | 82 | Facebook Pixel: To opt-out of tracking by the Facebook Pixel, you can set your preferences through the Facebook settings or install a browser extension that blocks tracking. |
ALSO IN THIS CHANGE, NOT TIED TO ONE LINE
- + ADDEDClarified limits of opt-out choices
The policy now explains that turning off cookies only affects future tracking (not data already collected), and that an opt-out choice made on one browser or device won't automatically apply to your other devices or browsers.
Disabling certain technologies and withdrawal affects future use of the relevant technologies ... may not change a choice recorded on another device or browser.