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Problem Solver I
December 16, 2022
Solved

Privacy issue in Shopify Klaviyo Integration

  • December 16, 2022
  • 11 replies
  • 1065 views

Hi,
the Shopify Klaviyo integration is causing a privacy issue:
Shopify Apps are supposed to integrate with the Shopify Customer Privacy API. This API allows Cookie banners to change the consent/privacy state of a given user.
Source:
https://shopify.dev/api/consent-tracking?shpxid=1bb96289-AA05-4C06-5918-3BEFBDF10957

The Shopify Klaviyo App sets the __kla_id cookie before a user gives consent. If a user denies cookies and the Customer Privacy API is triggered to update the user’s consent state, the Klaviyo App ignores the user’s preference.

Do you have a solution for this  or are you waiting for a wave of legal actions that hits your clients?

 

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Best answer by David To

    Hey @IKT,

    In case you may have missed our recent announcement on this topic, I’ve shared it below:

    To put it simply, Klaviyo will adhere to the Customer Privacy settings you’ve enabled per the Shopify’s Customer Privacy API.

    David

    11 replies

    alex.hong
    Klaviyo Alum
    December 16, 2022

    Hi there @THahn ,

    Thanks for sharing.

    While we have our security team investigate this claim I would like to provide some info or possible guesses to what might be going on. The Klaviyo KX parameter would only be feasible if customers clicked in from a Klaviyo email, hence they would have already had to have given consent. I.E. through subscribing or giving some sort of email already. Assuming this is the case, either way it will be up to the business owners to manage the appropriate consent within the integration. I think the consent that is mentioned might be more related to web tracking, which falls back on our customers for the integration. Although we have web tracking it is going to need to be given first. If there is an update to consent level, you will need a way to ensure that that information/detail is shared back to Klaviyo.

     

    I will provide more info once we hear from our security team regarding this.

    Alex

     

     

    THahnAuthor
    Problem Solver I
    December 19, 2022

    Hey @alex.hong ,

    thanks for your answer.

    I think I’ve found the root cause:
    https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/4425956184731

    As described in this article, one has to enable the so called Shopify App Embed setting in order to activate the Klavyio JS Tracker which sets the __kla_id cookie. 

    However, this setting does not interact with the Shopify Consent API and it seems like it can’t be altered.

    Is there a workaround that you can recommend to make the integration gdpr compliant?
     

     

    THahnAuthor
    Problem Solver I
    December 29, 2022

    Hey @alex.hong, any news on this?

     

    alex.hong
    Klaviyo Alum
    December 29, 2022

    Hi @THahn ,

    Apologies for the inconvenience. I have escalated this to our engineering and bug report team and I am also awaiting a followup on this.

     

    Thank you for your patience,

    Alex

    THahnAuthor
    Problem Solver I
    January 2, 2023

    Hi @alex.hong,
     
    thanks!

     

    As an additional note:
    I’ve observed this issue also in Shopify stores which integrated the Klaviyo app before the Shopify App Embed setting was available. So even if the Shopify App Embed setting is turned off, the Klaviyo Onsite JS is loaded through Shopify Analytics for users that have not given proper consent.

     

    THahnAuthor
    Problem Solver I
    January 16, 2023

    Hey @alex.hong ,

     

    any news from your engineering team?

     

    Best,

    Tristan

    alex.hong
    Klaviyo Alum
    January 17, 2023

    Hi @THahn ,

    Thanks for your patience as we work on this.

    Our engineer teams are working on this and have told me there will be an update/fix coming relatively soon. There will also be proper customer communication done when these changes go live. Thank you for providing your feedback/experience with this and we appreciate your participation in the community.

     

    Best,

    Alex

    THahnAuthor
    Problem Solver I
    January 18, 2023

    that’s awesome! Many thanks @alex.hong 

    Contributor I
    February 6, 2023

    Hi,

     

    Just wanted to check if this is still ongoing? I am exploring Klaviyo as an option for my business and this is a concern for me.

     

    Thanks!

    David To
    Klaviyo Employee
    David ToAnswer
    Klaviyo Employee
    February 10, 2023

    Hey @IKT,

    In case you may have missed our recent announcement on this topic, I’ve shared it below:

    To put it simply, Klaviyo will adhere to the Customer Privacy settings you’ve enabled per the Shopify’s Customer Privacy API.

    David