Note: Adtriba Core is a legacy feature that we continue to support but no longer sell. The latest version of this feature is available as Funnel Measurement.
If you are already using Funnel Measurement, find more information here. To upgrade, contact us.
Overview
Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) is a privacy feature implemented by browsers to reduce long-term user tracking across websites. Safari, introduced by Apple, launched the first version of ITP in 2017 and is widely seen as a benchmark in this space. Since then, other browsers have introduced similar tracking prevention measures.
ITP uses a browser-based machine learning model to detect domains that may track users across sites. Once identified, these domains face restrictions on how long cookies and other browser storage data can persist.
Initially, ITP targeted only third-party cookies. Over time, it expanded to cover certain first-party cookies, especially those set by third-party services embedded in a site.
How ITP Works: Simplified Example
A user visits mywebsite.com. An analytics or advertising solution sets a first-party cookie for that domain.
The user clicks an ad and is redirected through an ad server domain such as adserver.com.
The ad server sets a first-party cookie on its own domain (for example, example.com) linked to the user.
The cookie is then used across multiple sites to recognize the user and deliver targeted advertising.
ITP restricts this process by shortening the lifetime of these cookies. For example, Safari may delete certain cookies from identified trackers after just seven days.
ITP 2.3 Changes (Safari 13, March 2020)
In Safari 13, released on March 24, 2020, Apple introduced ITP version 2.3. This update impacted how measurement and attribution identifiers are stored:
Under ITP 2.2: First-party cookies set via JavaScript could be deleted after 24 hours, reducing attribution windows from seven days to one day.
With ITP 2.3: The seven-day window could be maintained if identifiers were stored in non-cookie storage mechanisms, such as
localStorageorIndexedDB.
This change allowed for slightly longer attribution periods while still enforcing privacy controls.
Effects on Analytics and Attribution
For analytics platforms, including Adtriba Core and Adtriba Sphere, ITP can:
Shorten attribution windows, potentially missing conversions that occur more than seven days after an initial interaction.
Cause returning visitors to appear as new visitors if their cookies are deleted.
Affect customer journey mapping, especially in multi-touch attribution models.
Assessing the Impact on Your Data
The degree to which ITP affects tracking depends on:
The proportion of traffic coming from browsers with ITP enabled (e.g., Safari).
The average length of your customer journey from first interaction to conversion.
The time between repeat visits from returning users.
If a large portion of your audience uses ITP-enabled browsers and your customer journeys are longer than seven days, you may see reduced attribution accuracy.
Mitigation Strategies
To reduce the effects of ITP:
Use server-side cookie storage
Capture first-party identifiers client-side and store them server-side.
Reissue the identifier when the user returns to extend its lifespan.
Reduce reliance on third-party cookies
Use first-party domains and integrations where possible.
Adopt aggregated measurement methods
Adtriba products incorporate aggregated modeling techniques, including Unified Marketing Measurement and Social View Modeling, to reduce dependency on individual user-level data.
Example: Refreshing a First-Party Cookie Server-Side
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
const trackingId = req.cookies['tracking_id'];
if (trackingId) {
res.cookie(
'tracking_id',
trackingId,
{
domain: 'example.com',
path: '/',
secure: true,
httpOnly: true,
expires: new Date(Date.now() + 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 2) // 2 years
}
);
}
res.render('home');
});
By storing identifiers server-side and refreshing them upon return visits, data continuity can be maintained even if client-side cookies are deleted by the browser.