FunctionalConsent required
What is the _help_center_session Cookie?
Set by Zendesk (Zendesk, Inc.). Expires after Session.
Purpose
Session cookie for users browsing the Zendesk Help Center.
Cookie Details
| Cookie Name | _help_center_session |
| Service | Zendesk |
| Provider | Zendesk, Inc. |
| Category | Functional |
| Duration | Session |
| Consent Required | Yes — requires explicit opt-in |
Category: Functional
Functional cookies enhance the website's functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers. Consent is required under GDPR.
GDPR Requirements
Under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, the _help_center_session cookie requires explicit user consent before it can be set. This means:
- The cookie must not be set when a user first visits your site — not even for a fraction of a second
- A consent banner must be displayed, and the user must actively accept analytics/marketing cookies
- If the user rejects or ignores the banner, this cookie must remain blocked
- The cookie must be listed in your cookie policy with its name, purpose, and retention period
- Users must be able to withdraw consent at any time, which must also remove or invalidate this cookie
How to Handle This Cookie
- Block it by default — configure your Consent Management Platform (CMP) or tag manager to prevent Zendesk from loading until the user accepts functional cookies.
- Include it in your consent categories — map it to the "Functional" category in your CMP configuration.
- List it in your cookie policy — document the cookie name, purpose, provider (Zendesk, Inc.), and expiry (Session).
- Sign a DPA — ensure you have a Data Processing Agreement with Zendesk, Inc. covering their use of data collected via this cookie.
- Verify it works — in an incognito browser, reject cookies and confirm
_help_center_sessionis not set.
Other Zendesk Cookies
| Cookie | Category | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| __zd_ref_path | Functional | Session |
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