Contact tracking defines how magnews handles events for contacts who have expressed a preference not to be tracked via the system shared field Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK). Depending on the selected configuration, events can continue to be recorded or not be recorded. The recommended option is Do not record events, as it respects contacts' preferences and the Guidelines of the Italian Data Protection Authority.
Configure contact tracking
To configure how contact tracking behaves, go to:
Profile Studio > Database management > Settings > Edit > Privacy > Contact tracking
Contact tracking
This setting determines how magnews handles events for contacts whose Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field is set to Yes.
Two modes are available:
- Do not record events With this option, events associated with contacts who have denied consent to tracking are neither recorded nor stored. This is the recommended configuration because it respects the preferences expressed by contacts and the Guidelines issued by the Italian Data Protection Authority .
- Record the events without making them visible to the user With this option, events associated with contacts who have denied consent to tracking continue to be recorded. The events are not visible in the interface and cannot be used for contact segmentation, profiling, or behavioral analysis, but continue to be stored in the system. In light of the Guidelines issued by the Italian Data Protection Authority , this configuration requires verification.
Recipients not present in magnews
This setting defines how to manage tracking for recipients who are not present in the magnews database, including anonymous recipients.
- Do not log tracking events: neither opens nor clicks are recorded.
- Log tracking events: events are recorded according to the configuration defined under Events to be excluded from tracking.
The setting applies to the entire environment.
Events excluded from tracking
When tracking is disabled for contacts whose Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field is set to Yes, you can choose which events not to record:
- Opens or clicks: clicks on links are not tracked and the webbug is not inserted. This is the default option and corresponds to the current behavior of magnews.
- Clicks only: clicks on links are not tracked, while the webbug is inserted to detect opens.
- Opens only: clicks on links are tracked, while the webbug is not inserted.
The configuration applies to the entire environment and allows tracking preferences to be managed in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the Italian Data Protection Authority.
The role of the Denies consent to tracking
The system shared field Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) lets you manage contacts' preferences regarding tracking of email interactions.
When the field is set to Yes, magnews continues to send communications to the contact, but it handles opens and clicks according to the configuration defined in the Contact tracking section.
When the field is set to No, the system behavior remains standard and interactions are tracked normally.
Available values for the Denies consent to tracking
The field Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) can have one of the following three values for each contact:
| Value | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Yes | Opens and clicks are handled according to the configuration of Contact tracking. |
| No | The contact's activities are tracked normally. |
| Not defined | The contact's activities are tracked normally. |
Behavior of the Denies consent to tracking field
If the value is Yes
When the Denies consent to tracking field is set to Yes:
- The contact continues to receive email communications.
- Opens and clicks are handled according to the configuration defined in Contact tracking.
- Data related to interactions is processed based on the configuration chosen for the database.
The actual behavior therefore depends on the option selected in the Contact tracking section.
If the value is No
When the field is set to No, the contact is tracked normally.
Email opens and link clicks are recorded and made available in reports and behavioral analytics.
Configure the default value of the Denies consent to tracking field
The default value of the Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field can be configured from the field settings.
To access the configuration, go to Profile Studio > Database management > Contact fields and open the Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field.
In the Type of data section, you can define the default value that will be automatically assigned to new contacts in the database.
This setting is applied to new contacts, unless a different value is assigned via:
- Forms;
- Imports;
- Web service calls;
- Automation processes.
Manage tracking preferences
The Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field can be used to collect and update contacts’ preferences regarding the tracking of email interactions.
It can be linked, for example, to:
- Signup forms or data update forms;
- Preference Center;
- Sync processes with external systems.
This way, the contact can express or change their preference, while magnews will automatically apply the behavior configured for the database.
The field value can also be updated via:
- Contact imports;
- Web service calls;
- Automation processes.
Important
The Denies consent to tracking (ID: NOTRACK) field controls only the tracking of email interactions and does not affect the ability to send communications to the contact.
A contact with tracking disabled can continue to receive emails, whereas an unsubscribed contact or one who has withdrawn consent will no longer receive communications for the relevant purposes.
FAQ
What is the recommended option for contact tracking?
The recommended option is Do not record events, because it prevents recording events for contacts who have expressed the will not to be tracked and is the recommended configuration to respect contacts’ preferences and the Guidelines of the Italian Data Protection Authority.
Does the Refuse tracking field prevent sending emails?
No. The field affects only the tracking of opens and clicks. The contact continues to receive communications unless they are unsubscribed or have withdrawn consent for the relevant purposes.