How does session replay affect visitor privacy?

Session replay is a website analytics feature that lets site owners review how visitors navigate and interact with a page. It recreates a visit from recorded actions, such as clicks, scrolling and page changes, helping teams understand where users encounter problems.

The privacy risk is that a replay may also reveal personal information displayed on the page or entered into a form. Depending on the tool and its settings, names, account details or private messages could become visible to people reviewing the session.

Before enabling replay:

• Exclude pages containing sensitive account or transaction details where appropriate.

• Mask personal content before it is transmitted.

• Test forms, error messages and dynamically loaded content.

• Restrict access to recordings and define a retention period.

• Assess applicable consent requirements before collection begins.

Microsoft Clarity’s masking documentation shows how one provider controls captured content. Those settings are product-specific and should be tested on the actual website.

Masking reduces particular disclosure risks; it does not independently establish lawful processing. Where permission is required, recording must follow the visitor’s cookie consent choices.