By default, you don’t need to include a cookie banner on your Ycode site, even if you use Ycode Analytics, because we don’t collect any personal data from your site visitors.
However, if you integrate any third-party services or scripts that might collect personal data (e.g., Google Analytics, HubSpot, or YouTube), it becomes your responsibility to add an appropriate cookie banner to your site to comply with applicable regulations.
As a Ycode user, it’s essential to ensure that your website content complies with relevant laws, including GDPR. This also extends to the use of copyrighted materials, such as photos and fonts. For more information on this topic, continue reading below. Please note that the information provided here is not legal advice and should not be used as such.
GDPR Overview
On May 25, 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. The GDPR applies to any organization or entity, including websites, that processes the personal data of EU residents. Importantly, GDPR applies regardless of whether you or your business are based in the EU. If your website has visitors from the EU or if your marketing campaigns target EU residents, this regulation affects you as a website owner.
Depending on how your website collects and processes visitor data, GDPR may require several actions to protect their privacy and security. If you are unsure about your obligations, we recommend consulting a privacy expert for legal advice.
Does the GDPR Apply to Me as a Ycode User Hosting a Website?
Most likely, yes. Any website that can have even a single visitor from the EU is subject to GDPR. This regulation applies regardless of where you or your business are based. If your website processes the personal data of EU residents, you are required to comply with GDPR as either a data controller or a data processor.
What Is Considered "Personal Data" Under GDPR?
The GDPR defines "personal data" broadly as any information that relates to an identifiable person (the "data subject"). Examples of personal data include:
Names, email addresses, or phone numbers.
Dates of birth or physical addresses.
IP addresses, customer numbers, or geolocation data.
Social media usernames or profile photos.
Even data that indirectly identifies an individual can qualify as personal data.
When Am I Considered a "Controller" of Personal Data?
As a Ycode website owner, you are a data controller if you collect personal data. This means you decide:
What data is collected.
How the data is collected.
How the data is used.
As a data controller, you have strict obligations under GDPR, including obtaining proper consent (when necessary) before storing or using personal data collected from your website visitors.
Is Ycode Considered a Controller of Personal Data?
Yes. Ycode acts as a data controller for the personal data of its users. However, as a Ycode user who creates and hosts websites, you are the data controller for any personal data collected on your sites. Examples of collected data include form submissions, analytics data via third-party integrations, or customer details.
What Is a "Data Processor"?
A data processor is an individual or organization that processes personal data on behalf of a data controller. In this context, Ycode acts as a data processor for the data you manage through your website, while you remain the data controller. Ycode does not have control over the data you collect or how you use it.
Does Ycode Ensure GDPR Compliance for My Website?
No. Ycode complies with its legal obligations under GDPR but does not manage your responsibilities as a data controller. You are responsible for ensuring that your website processes personal data in accordance with GDPR requirements.
What Should I Do if I Collect Personal Data from EU Visitors?
If your website collects personal data from EU residents, such as through form submissions or third-party integrations, you have the following responsibilities as a data controller:
Obtain Clear Consent:
If your forms or integrations request personal data (e.g., newsletter sign-ups), you must ask for explicit consent from your site visitors unless another lawful basis for processing applies (e.g., legal obligation or public interest).
Be Transparent:
Clearly explain how you collect, store, and use personal data.
Provide a privacy statement that informs visitors about your data collection practices.
Educate Clients (if applicable):
If you create websites for clients, ensure they understand their responsibilities as data controllers.
What About Cookies?
Cookies can be considered personal data if they identify an individual. GDPR requires you to obtain explicit consent before placing any non-essential cookies on a visitor's device. This applies to cookies used for analytics, advertising, or tracking purposes.
Essential Cookies:
These are necessary for your website to function properly, such as session cookies or login cookies. They do not require user consent.
Non-Essential Cookies:
These include cookies for analytics, tracking, or personalized ads. Consent is required before placing these cookies on a user’s device.
If you use third-party services that add cookies to your site, you must:
Add a cookie banner to inform visitors about the cookies being used.
Allow users to accept or reject non-essential cookies.
Provide granular cookie settings and link to a clear Cookie Policy.
Ycode does not include a built-in feature for cookie creation but supports the integration of third-party tools to help you manage cookies and obtain the necessary consent.
Ycode Analytics
Ycode comes with built-in analytics for every website you create. These analytics provide a powerful set of core metrics, including unique visitors, pageviews, top sources, and top-performing pages.
How Does Ycode Analytics Work?
When a user visits your Ycode website, their IP address and user agent are hashed using a daily rotating secret that resets and deletes every day. This process ensures that daily unique visitors are accurately calculated without storing any personal data. For example:
A visitor accessing your site multiple times on the same day will be counted as one unique visitor.
If the same visitor returns on different days, each day will count as a unique visit.
Does Ycode Analytics Collect Personal Data?
No. Ycode Analytics does not track, collect, or store any personal information that can identify a user. All collected data is fully anonymized, ensuring complete privacy for your site visitors. For further details, refer to our privacy statement.
Is Ycode Analytics GDPR-Compliant?
Yes. The data collected by Ycode Analytics is entirely anonymized and cannot be linked back to an individual, making it fully GDPR-compliant.
Do I Need a Cookie Banner to Use Ycode Analytics?
No. Ycode Analytics does not use cookies or create persistent identifiers. As a result, no cookie consent is required to use this built-in analytics tool. However, if you integrate additional third-party tracking tools that rely on cookies, you may need to add a cookie banner to ensure GDPR compliance. Additionally, as a Ycode website creator, you are responsible for informing your visitors about the data your site collects and how it is used.