FunctionalConsent required
What is the hblid Cookie?
Set by Olark (Olark). Expires after 2 years.
Purpose
Unique visitor identifier set by Olark live chat. Used to recognise and connect returning visitors to their previous chat history.
Cookie Details
| Cookie Name | hblid |
| Service | Olark |
| Provider | Olark |
| Category | Functional |
| Duration | 2 years |
| 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 hblid 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 Olark 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 (Olark), and expiry (2 years).
- Sign a DPA — ensure you have a Data Processing Agreement with Olark covering their use of data collected via this cookie.
- Verify it works — in an incognito browser, reject cookies and confirm
hblidis not set.
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