Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires obtaining strict, free, and explicit consent for tracking user behavior (such as email opens or link clicks).
To meet this obligation, Webmecanik Automation provides advanced tools allowing you to separate the authorization to send a message from the authorization to track it. This system complements the historic global unsubscription tool ("Do not contact").
Here is an overview of the different tools available to orchestrate this consent.
1. Initial activation in the Global Configuration
Any tracking consent management begins with its activation at your instance level.
Where is it located? In the Tracking Settings of your Configuration menu.
What is the effect? A main GDPR switch enables granular consent by channel (Email, SMS). As long as this option is not activated, tracking behavior remains standard. Once activated, it unlocks all the features described below.
2. Transparent collection via forms
To legally collect consent from your new contacts, your forms adapt.
Multi-target consent field: You can integrate a single or multiple checkboxes into your forms.
Double validation: This field allows the contact to simultaneously (or separately) accept the receipt of your communications and the tracking of their interactions (clicks for SMS, opens and clicks for emails).
3. Visibility and traceability on the contact profile
You maintain full visibility and proof of compliance regarding your contacts' choices at any time from their profile.
"Do not track" badges: If a contact refuses tracking on a channel, a specific badge (e.g., Do not track: EMAIL) appears on their profile. This means you can continue to write to them if their subscription is active, but no behavioral data will be collected.
Automatic log generation (History): As soon as an unsubscription or a withdrawal of tracking consent occurs, Webmecanik Automation instantly creates a dedicated log entry in the History tab of the contact profile. ,You will find a specific event of type "Do not contact" indicating the relevant channel (Email, SMS) as well as the explicit reason (e.g., "The contact has withdrawn their tracking consent on this channel").
You can also see where the change originated (contact record, preferences center, form, etc.)Preference Center: Your contacts can adjust their choices independently at any time. The contact preference center includes a dedicated column to check or uncheck tracking consent, channel by channel.
4. Targeting in Segments
Your databases become smarter thanks to native filters related to tracking.
Specific filters: When creating a segment, you have access to new filtering criteria such as « Tracking consent refused - Email » or « Tracking consent refused - SMS ».
Utility: This allows you to adapt your marketing strategies by separating "tracked" contacts from "non-tracked" contacts to scrupulously respect their privacy preferences.
5. Automation in Campaigns
Updating a contact's status can also be automated at the heart of your scenarios.
- The dedicated campaign action: The campaign builder includes a condition that allows you to filter your contacts based on their consent.
Utility: For instance, you can choose to automatically update the consent of a group of contacts following a specific action or a precise user journey.
6. Fair treatment of untracked contacts in campaign scenarios
When a contact has withdrawn their tracking consent, their opens and clicks are no longer recorded. In a standard campaign, when faced with a decision like "Has clicked?", this contact would default to the negative ("No") branch, which would distort your statistics and automated journeys.
The separate path toggle: To address this, Webmecanik Automation allows you to adjust the behavior of campaign decisions (such as Email clicks). By enabling the option "Add a separate path for Do Not Track contacts", you can separate the flows.
Activating a third branch: Instead of the traditional binary choice (Yes / No), your campaign features a dedicated third branch exclusively for contacts with the "Do Not Track" status. This allows you to offer them a tailored alternative journey without penalizing them or confusing them with simply inactive contacts.
7. Managing consent directly within the Preference Center
To give your contacts full control over their data in accordance with transparency requirements, tracking consent can be managed autonomously from their public preference page.
The dedicated block: A specific block can be integrated directly into your Preference Center layout to display distinct tracking choices.
Granular autonomy: Contacts can easily check or uncheck their "Consent to interaction tracking" for each specific channel (such as Email or SMS). This ensures they can remain subscribed to receiving your communications while independently deciding whether or not they want their opens and clicks to be tracked.
8. Inserting a tracking opt-out link via a dedicated variable
To provide a direct alternative to a full unsubscription right within your communications, you can insert a link that allows contacts to object solely to behavioral tracking.
The
{disable_tracking_url}variable: By configuring this specific token as a link URL, the recipient can click on customized text (e.g., “I do not wish to have my clicks tracked”). This instantly deactivates open and click tracking for that specific channel.Integration flexibility: This token can be easily added to any text editor or button within your email templates, allowing you to seamlessly place this tracking opt-out option wherever you prefer.
9. Global analysis and monitoring via Consent Reports
To maintain an overview and export your compliance data, you can generate dedicated reports that precisely list all consent actions (opt-ins or opt-outs) performed by your contacts.
A dedicated report type: This tool allows you to filter and extract the history of your users' choices, thus providing solid proof of GDPR compliance in the event of an audit. Choose the data source : Do not track.
Precise data columns: The report is structured around key data points essential for traceability. It includes columns such as: Contact ID, Email, IP Address, the relevant Channel (Email, SMS), a Comment indicating the source of the action (for example, whether it came from a multi-consent form or the preference center), the exact Date of the update, the Channel ID, and the Contact Owner Name.
The "Track email activity" Option in Webmecanik Automation
This option, found when configuring or editing your emails in the Webmecanik Automation interface, is essential for aligning your campaigns with European data protection regulations (GDPR) and the guidelines of the CNIL (the French Data Protection Authority).
Why and how to use it for CNIL compliance?
The CNIL considers tracking pixels (open tracking pixels) and tracked redirection links to be behavioral trackers. Consequently, using them typically requires the prior and explicit consent of the recipient.
By toggling the "Track email activity" switch to No:
Removal of the tracking pixel: The email is sent without the invisible micro-pixel, preventing any data collection on email opens (such as date, time, and IP address).
Deactivation of link tracking: Links inserted in the email body remain raw HTML links. They are not rewritten to route through your Webmecanik redirection servers, meaning no individual clicks will be tracked.
Guaranteed total anonymity: The email is delivered neutrally to all recipients, with absolutely zero tracking.
Expert Tip:
Disabling tracking completely is highly recommended for your purely transactional or administrative emails (such as order confirmations, password resets, or security alerts). To guarantee 100% GDPR compliance, no tracking should ever be applied to these types of operational messages.
Managing Consent During a CSV Import
When importing your contacts via a CSV file, consent management is configured by mapping your file's column to the system field "Do Not Track" (for example, Do Not Track (email) or Do Not Track (SMS) depending on the channel).
For Webmecanik to correctly interpret this data, your column must contain binary numerical values:
1: Activates the "Do Not Track" status on the contact record (opt-out). The contact will no longer be tracked when receiving your communications.0: Does not apply the "Do Not Track" status (opt-in). The contact remains tracked when receiving your messages.
GDPR Reminder: Ensure you accurately map each channel (email, SMS) to the corresponding field during the import setup step to guarantee full compliance with your contacts' choices.
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