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Kwai Pixel is the tracking pixel offered by Kwai for Business, the advertising platform of Kuaishou Technology. Operators install the JavaScript snippet on their website to measure conversions, build retargeting audiences and optimise ad delivery within the Kwai short video app. Because the pixel writes cookies, reads identifiers and transmits personal data to Kwai servers in China and Singapore, it qualifies as a tracking technology under the ePrivacy Directive and as a high risk processing under the GDPR.
Kwai Pixel is the conversion tracking and audience building tag of Kwai for Business, the advertising arm of Kuaishou Technology, the Chinese operator of the Kwai short video app. Advertisers install a JavaScript snippet on their site to forward visitor events such as page views, add to cart, lead and purchase to the Kwai for Business platform, in order to measure ad effectiveness, build custom audiences and look alike segments and optimise bidding within the Kwai ad ecosystem.
Once consent is granted and the snippet loads, Kwai Pixel reads or sets a first party cookie containing a pseudonymous user identifier and a session identifier, plus a third party cookie used for cross site retargeting. It then collects the IP address, the user agent, the referrer, the page URL, the page title, the time stamp, the click identifier (kclid) and the event name and parameters configured by the advertiser, including hashed email or phone if the advertiser uses Advanced Matching.
Kwai Pixel writes and reads identifiers on the user device, which falls within Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. Prior, free, specific, informed and unambiguous consent is required before the snippet loads. The downstream processing of personal data also requires a GDPR legal basis, namely consent under Article 6(1)(a). Operators must analyse joint controllership with Kwai for the audience and conversion data they upload, and reflect the analysis in the Data Processing Agreement and privacy notice.
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Data is transferred to Kuaishou Technology servers located in China and Singapore. Neither jurisdiction benefits from an adequacy decision from the European Commission. The transfer must rely on Standard Contractual Clauses and on a Transfer Impact Assessment that addresses, in particular, the Chinese National Intelligence Law and Cybersecurity Law, which can compel disclosure to public authorities. Supplementary measures such as encryption in transit, contractual restrictions on disclosure and minimisation of personal data should be documented.
Block the Kwai Pixel until consent is granted, integrate it with your CMP, document the pixel in your record of processing activities, in the privacy notice and in the cookie banner. Sign a Data Processing Agreement with Kuaishou Technology. If you use the Conversions API, hash personal identifiers before transmission and apply server side filtering. Define a retention period aligned with the advertising purpose and a process for forwarding data subject requests to Kwai.
If consent rates are too low or risk appetite too limited, alternatives include EU based analytics platforms with consent free modes, server side conversion APIs combined with first party data and contextual advertising on European media. Brands targeting Chinese users can also evaluate aggregated reporting that does not transmit individual identifiers.
Websites using Kwai Pixel must obtain user consent under GDPR regulations.
DPIA considerations
A Data Protection Impact Assessment is mandatory because Kwai Pixel performs systematic tracking of visitor behaviour, builds advertising profiles, integrates with a non European platform and transfers personal data to China and Singapore, jurisdictions without an adequacy decision. The DPIA must document the categories of data, the legal basis, the transfer mechanism (SCCs plus TIA), the supplementary measures and the safeguards against access by Chinese authorities under the National Intelligence Law.
Sample consent text
We use Kwai Pixel to measure the performance of our advertising on the Kwai short video app and to build retargeting audiences. This involves storing cookies on your device and transferring personal data including your IP address to Kuaishou Technology servers in China and Singapore. You can accept, refuse or withdraw your consent at any time in our privacy preferences.
Third-party domains contacted
kwai.comp.kwai-pro.coms.kwai.netbusiness.kwai.comCookies placed
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| _kwaiqp | first_party | 13 months | Pseudonymous user identifier used by the Kwai Pixel to recognise returning visitors and stitch sessions for advertising attribution. |
| _kwaiqp_session | first_party | Session | Session identifier scoped to the current browsing session, used to group events into a single visit. |
| kwai_pixel | third_party | 13 months | Cross site advertising identifier used to build retargeting audiences and measure cross domain conversions on Kwai for Business. |
| kclid | first_party | 90 days | Click identifier captured from Kwai ad URLs, used to attribute the conversion to the originating campaign. |
Kwai Pixel places tracking cookies for advertising — comply with GDPR using FlowConsent.
Kwai Pixel sets a first party cookie named _kwaiqp that holds a pseudonymous user identifier with a typical lifetime of 13 months, a session cookie scoped to the current browser session, and a third party cookie kwai_pixel used for cross site retargeting. The exact list depends on the configured features and can be audited in the browser developer tools.
Yes. Kwai Pixel writes and reads identifiers on the user device, which is regulated by Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. Prior, free, specific, informed and unambiguous consent is required and must be captured through a Consent Management Platform before the snippet loads.
The legal basis is consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Legitimate interest is not appropriate for advertising and audience targeting. Consent must be granular and the operator must be able to demonstrate it on demand to a supervisory authority.
Yes. Personal data is transferred to Kuaishou Technology servers located in China and Singapore. Neither jurisdiction has an adequacy decision. The transfer relies on Standard Contractual Clauses combined with a Transfer Impact Assessment that addresses the risk of access by Chinese public authorities under the National Intelligence Law and the Cybersecurity Law.
Yes. The processing meets several criteria from the European Data Protection Board guidelines: large scale systematic monitoring, profiling for advertising purposes and transfers to high risk third countries. A DPIA is therefore mandatory under Article 35 GDPR.
Block the snippet by default, integrate it with a CMP that supports granular consent, sign a Data Processing Agreement and SCCs with Kuaishou Technology, document the pixel in your record of processing activities and your privacy notice, hash personal identifiers when using Advanced Matching or the Conversions API, and define a retention period and a process for handling data subject requests.
EU based analytics with consent free or aggregated modes, server side conversion APIs combined with first party data, contextual advertising on European media platforms. Brands targeting Chinese users can also rely on aggregated reporting that does not transmit individual identifiers.
List each Kwai cookie with its provider, purpose and retention. Mention the transfer to China and Singapore, the absence of an adequacy decision and the SCC mechanism. Increment the policy version and prompt for fresh consent so that prior consent is renewed against the new processing.