What is the `hs-beacon-open` Cookie?

Set by Help Scout Beacon (Help Scout PBC). Expires after Session.

Purpose

Stores whether the Help Scout Beacon help widget is open or closed.

Cookie Details

Cookie Name	`hs-beacon-open`
Service	Help Scout Beacon
Provider	Help Scout PBC
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 hs-beacon-open 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 Help Scout Beacon 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 (Help Scout PBC), and expiry (Session).
Sign a DPA — ensure you have a Data Processing Agreement with Help Scout PBC covering their use of data collected via this cookie.
Verify it works — in an incognito browser, reject cookies and confirm hs-beacon-open is not set.

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