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Coveo is an AI powered search, recommendation, and personalization platform used on websites, commerce stores, and support portals. To make results relevant it records what visitors search for and click through its usage analytics, assigns visitor identifiers, and processes IP addresses and device information. Because this builds behavioural profiles, the analytics and personalization features on European sites require prior consent.
Coveo is an artificial intelligence platform for search, recommendations, and personalization. It is embedded in websites, commerce experiences, and support portals to return relevant results and to suggest content or products. Its relevance models learn from how visitors interact, which means the platform relies on collecting behavioural signals.
Coveo records usage analytics events such as searches, result clicks, and page views, and it assigns a visitor identifier so that activity can be linked across a session and over time. It processes the IP address and device and browser information. When a user is logged in, this activity can be connected to an account, producing a behavioural profile that drives personalization.
The visitor identifiers and usage analytics are personal data under the GDPR, and the cookies and storage that support them fall under the ePrivacy Directive. Because the purpose is analytics and personalization rather than a strictly necessary function, prior consent is required and the profiling must be explained to users.
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Coveo usage analytics and personalization should be enabled only after the visitor consents. A basic search box that simply returns results can sometimes operate without profiling, but the moment behaviour is tracked to personalise, consent is needed. Configure the implementation so that analytics events are not sent until the marketing or analytics category is accepted.
Coveo is a Canadian company and can host data on several cloud regions, including the European Union. Canada is covered by an adequacy decision, while any processing in the United States relies on the EU US Data Privacy Framework or on Standard Contractual Clauses. Selecting an EU hosting region reduces transfer exposure.
Gate Coveo usage analytics behind consent, choose an EU hosting region where possible, and sign a data processing agreement. Document the profiling, set retention limits for analytics, give users a way to opt out, and describe Coveo and its identifiers in your cookie policy and privacy notice.
Websites using Coveo must obtain user consent under GDPR regulations.
DPIA considerations
Coveo profiles visitors to personalise search and recommendations, so assess the behavioural data collected, the visitor identifiers, the retention of usage analytics, and the hosting region and transfers. A targeted assessment helps where personalization is extensive or tied to accounts.
Sample consent text
We use Coveo to power search and personalised recommendations. Coveo may set identifiers and record what you search and click to improve relevance. These features run only after you accept the relevant cookies.
Third-party domains contacted
coveo.complatform.cloud.coveo.comanalytics.cloud.coveo.comstatic.cloud.coveo.comCookies placed
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| coveo_visitorId | Analytics | 1 year | Identifies a visitor so that usage analytics and personalization can be linked over time. |
| coveo_session | Functional | Session | Maintains the state of the search experience during the visit. |
| cvo_analytics | Analytics | 1 year | Stores usage analytics events such as searches and result clicks. |
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Coveo assigns a visitor identifier and uses analytics cookies or storage to record searches and clicks, plus a session value for the search experience. The analytics and personalization identifiers are not strictly necessary, so they belong in the analytics or marketing category of your banner.
Yes, for the usage analytics and personalization. Tracking what a visitor searches and clicks to build a profile requires prior consent under the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR. A minimal search that does not profile may be handled differently.
Consent under Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR is the basis for behavioural analytics and personalization. Where search is strictly necessary to deliver a function the user requested, a different basis may apply, but profiling needs consent.
Coveo is Canadian and offers several hosting regions, including the EU. Canada has an adequacy decision and United States processing relies on the EU US Data Privacy Framework or Standard Contractual Clauses. Choosing an EU region keeps data in the region.
A targeted assessment is advisable where personalization is extensive or linked to user accounts. Document the behavioural data, the visitor identifiers, the retention, and the hosting region and transfers.
Send usage analytics only after consent, select an EU hosting region where possible, and sign a data processing agreement. Provide an opt out, set retention limits, and describe the analytics and personalization in your privacy notice.
Alternatives include Algolia, Elastic, and Lucene based search, as well as on site search without behavioural personalization. Solutions that avoid profiling can reduce the consent burden but may offer less tailored relevance.
List the Coveo identifiers and cookies with their purpose and duration, label them as analytics or personalization, name Coveo as the recipient, and state the hosting region and any transfers. Update it when you change your Coveo configuration.