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Using Server-Side Tag Manager for International Data Privacy with Alejandro Zielinsky

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4.5/5This podcast episode provides exceptional educational value with detailed insights into implementing server-side tracking at enterprise scale while maintaining privacy compliance. The conversation between the host and Alejandro offers practical, real-world examples of how HelloFresh handles data privacy across different jurisdictions, with specific technical details about their implementation approach.
Using Server-Side Tag Manager to Ensure Data Privacy Internationally w/ Alejandro Zielinsky - EP012

In this insightful episode of the Life after GDPR podcast, host Rick Dronkers interviews Alejandro Zielinsky, Global Digital Tracking/Measurement Lead at HelloFresh, about implementing server-side tracking at scale while maintaining data privacy compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Alejandro shares how HelloFresh processes over 3 billion events monthly (approximately 1,000 hits per second) through their server-side GTM infrastructure. He explains their approach to data privacy, particularly how they handle data differently depending on geographic location - applying stricter privacy measures for users in GDPR regions compared to non-GDPR countries. The discussion highlights several key benefits of server-side tracking implementation, including: - Centralized data collection across all HelloFresh brands and countries - Improved browser performance by reducing client-side JavaScript - Enhanced data quality through server-side processing - Greater control over what data is shared with third parties - The ability to redact sensitive information like email addresses and IP addresses before sharing with vendors Particularly valuable is Alejandro's explanation of HelloFresh's consent management approach, where they respect user choices by not even sending data to their servers if consent isn't granted. He also shares insights about conversion rates between users who accept or reject tracking, noting that those who reject tracking typically have lower conversion rates anyway. From our perspective at gdpr-server-tracking.eu, this interview perfectly illustrates why server-side tracking is essential for international businesses concerned with privacy compliance. While HelloFresh built their solution on Google Cloud Platform, our EU-based server-side tracking solution offers similar capabilities with additional privacy benefits. Companies implementing similar solutions on our platform would benefit from: - Hosting on EU-based bare metal servers (through Hetzner in Finland) - No data transfer risks associated with US cloud providers - Complete EU ownership of the hosting infrastructure - Advanced features for data redaction, filtering, and hashing - Cost-effective pricing compared to cloud solutions This video provides excellent insights for digital analytics professionals looking to implement privacy-first tracking solutions while maintaining high-quality data collection for marketing and product analytics purposes. The technical discussion demonstrates how sophisticated server-side implementations can be both privacy-compliant and business-effective. For those attending the Digital Analytics Summit in Amsterdam, Alejandro will present more technical details about HelloFresh's server-side implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about "Using Server-Side Tag Manager to Ensure Data Privacy Internationally w/ Alejandro Zielinsky - EP012"

Server-Side Tag Manager (sGTM) is a tool that moves data collection from the client's browser to a server you control, allowing you to process data before sharing it with third parties. It's important for international privacy compliance because it enables different data handling rules based on user location, such as applying stricter GDPR rules for European users while maintaining different standards elsewhere.

HelloFresh takes a strict approach where they don't even send data to their servers if consent isn't granted. They respect user choices by completely blocking tracking for those who reject cookies, rather than collecting data first and then deciding what to do with it based on consent status.

The main benefits include improved data quality, better browser performance by reducing client-side JavaScript, enhanced control over what data is shared with third parties, the ability to redact sensitive information before sharing, and centralized data collection across multiple brands and countries.

Companies can implement region-specific data handling rules in their server-side setup, such as redacting email addresses and IP addresses for GDPR regions while maintaining different standards elsewhere. This can be determined by top-level domains (.nl, .de vs .com) or by using geolocation services to identify user location.

EU-based hosting eliminates concerns about international data transfers that arise when using US cloud providers. Our solution at gdpr-server-tracking.eu provides servers in Finland with EU ownership (Hetzner), ensuring your data processing remains entirely within EU jurisdiction while providing all the privacy benefits of server-side tracking.

With server-side tracking, you can redact or modify sensitive information like IP addresses (removing the last octets), email addresses (removing completely or hashing them), and any personal identifiers before sharing with third parties. You can also filter which events are sent to which vendors, giving you granular control over data sharing.

According to HelloFresh's experience, users who reject tracking typically have lower conversion rates anyway, so the impact on marketing performance is minimal. Server-side tracking actually improves data quality for consenting users while respecting the privacy choices of non-consenting users, providing a balanced approach to marketing effectiveness and privacy compliance.

Server-side tracking is initially more complex to set up as it requires server infrastructure and technical knowledge of data processing. However, solutions like our EU-based hosting at gdpr-server-tracking.eu simplify this process by providing pre-configured environments with templates and support, making implementation more accessible while maintaining all the privacy and performance benefits.