Vanta is a software company that provides website monitoring and analytics services. One of the key features of Vanta is that it can track visitor behavior on websites, including their browsing history. However, there are some important caveats to understand about how Vanta handles personal data like browsing history.
What data does Vanta collect?
When installed on a website, Vanta collects data on visitors to that site in order to provide analytics and performance monitoring. This includes:
- IP addresses
- Pages visited
- Time spent on pages
- Clicks and interactions
- Referrer URLs
- Device data like screen size, browser, OS
- Approximate location (country and region)
So in short, Vanta does have access to the browsing history of visitors to sites where it is implemented. However, there are some key things to understand:
Data is aggregated and anonymized
While Vanta collects visitor data from websites, it does not store browsing histories of individual users. The data is aggregated and anonymized. This means Vanta can report overall statistics like “X number of users visited this page” but does not connect that data to individual IP addresses or profiles.
Vanta customers own the data
The browsing data that Vanta collects belongs to its customers, not Vanta itself. So Vanta only has access to that data temporarily in order to process it for analytics. The raw data is not retained by Vanta.
Users can opt out of tracking
Vanta provides a straightforward way for website visitors to opt out of tracking. An opt out cookie is set, and no further data will be collected on that user. So visitors do have control over whether they are tracked or not.
Does Vanta identify individual users?
Vanta uses analytics data to provide aggregate statistics and does not attempt to identify individual users. However, there are some scenarios where some individual identification could occur:
- IP addresses could potentially be traced back to individual users in some cases.
- If a user is logged into an account on the website, Vanta may associate data with that account profile.
- On smaller websites with fewer visitors, aggregate data could possibly be connected to individuals.
However, Vanta states that they do not attempt to identify individuals except in very specific cases such as security issues or legal requirements. The focus is on aggregated, anonymous data for analytics purposes.
When does Vanta retain browsing data?
Vanta does not keep raw browsing history data indefinitely. Here is how long data is retained:
- Detailed analytics data is kept for 13 months.
- Aggregate reporting data is kept for 25 months.
- Anonymized, statistical data may be retained beyond 25 months.
After these periods, detailed browsing history information is deleted. Only high-level statistics may be retained by Vanta customers.
Does Vanta sell or share browsing data?
Vanta states that they do not rent, sell or share any collected browsing data with third parties. The data is considered to belong to Vanta’s customers. Some key points:
- Vanta only processes data on behalf of customers.
- Customers have control over their data and how long it is retained.
- Vanta will not share data with other companies for marketing or advertising.
- By default, Vanta public dashboards do not reveal any sensitive or identifiable data.
The only potential exceptions are legal requirements like subpoenas or service providers under contract who help provide Vanta’s services. Overall, Vanta does not treat collected data as a commercial asset or share it more broadly.
Can website visitors delete their browsing history?
Since Vanta does not retain browsing histories of individual users, there is no way for a specific user to request deletion of their personal history data from Vanta’s systems. However, visitors do have options such as:
- Opting out of tracking, so no further data is collected.
- Using private browsing modes, which Vanta will not collect data from.
- Clearing cookies, which resets Vanta’s opt out status.
Website owners can also request deletion of all data collected about their site’s visitors by Vanta when they cancel their account. So while visitors can’t request individual history deletion, website owners do have control over removing collected visitor data.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Vanta does collect visitor browsing data from websites it is installed on.
- However, this data is anonymized and aggregated – individual histories are not retained.
- Collected data belongs to Vanta’s customers, not Vanta itself.
- Vanta does not sell or share browsing histories with third parties.
- Visitors can opt out of data collection.
- Retention periods limit how long data is kept.
So while Vanta does have temporary access to browsing history in order to provide its services, the company follows reasonable practices around data privacy and anonymity. Visitors do have options to limit tracking of their activity.
Type of Data | Collection | Retention | Sharing |
---|---|---|---|
Raw visitor browsing data | Collected temporarily to generate analytics | 13 months maximum | Not shared externally |
Aggregated statistics | Generated from raw data | 25 months maximum | Shared with customers as analytics |
Anonymized analytics | Generated from raw data | Can be retained beyond 25 months | Shared publicly in dashboards |
This summarizes Vanta’s data practices around visitor browsing information and history.
Further reading:
- Vanta’s Privacy Policy for full details on data practices.
- Vanta’s Data Transparency Page explaining their philosophy around data.