Understanding anonymous ID

Anonymous ID refers to a unique identifier assigned to a user who hasn't provided identifiable information. It lets you track user interactions while protecting their anonymity. This concept is essential for respecting user privacy and complying with data protection regulations.

How does anonymous ID work?

Generation: The ID is typically generated using a random value or algorithm. This ensures it's unique and not linked to any personal data.

Storage: The ID can be stored in cookies or local storage on the user's device. This ensures consistency across sessions.

Usage: Anonymous IDs track user behavior, segment users for analytics, and personalize experiences without identifying the user.

Benefits and challenges of using anonymous ID

What are the benefits?

• Privacy protection: Keeps user data private by avoiding the collection of personally identifiable information (PII).

• Compliance: Helps you meet data protection regulations like GDPR by anonymizing user data.

• User trust: Shows your commitment to privacy, which builds user trust.

What are the challenges?

• Data limitation: Restricts the amount of data you can collect, affecting personalization and analytics.

• Complex management: Requires careful handling to ensure IDs are consistent, especially across devices or sessions.

Managing and implementing anonymous ID

How to manage anonymous IDs?

• Consistent storage: Store IDs in cookies or local storage to retain continuity across sessions. For more details, see the Managing Identity guide.

• SDK integration: Use SDKs that generate and manage anonymous IDs for seamless implementation.

• Avoid duplicate IDs: Ensure unique ID generation to maintain accurate user tracking by following the best practices for syncing identifiers.

Examples of anonymous ID usage

Example 1: E-commerce platform

An online store assigns an anonymous ID to each visitor. This ID tracks items viewed and added to the cart. Personalized recommendations become possible without user registration. Learn more about how to use stable IDs for experiments involving anonymous users, and considerations around session IDs.

Example 2: News website

A news site uses anonymous IDs to suggest articles based on reading history. This ensures content relevance while preserving user anonymity. To understand how to map anonymous users, visit the Segment integration and learn about experimenting on anonymous traffic.

Example 3: Fitness app

A fitness app assigns anonymous IDs to new users. It tracks workout preferences and progress. When users create an account, the app integrates the anonymous data with their new profile. For more information on managing identity, visit Statsig Docs and creating your first experiment.