Session Replay Scripts: Are Websites Watching Your Every Move?
Ever felt like a website knew too much about what you were doing?
You’re not imagining things.
While you browse, click, scroll, or hesitate on a form field, many sites are running session replay scripts—invisible tools that silently record your entire visit, sometimes down to the pixel.
In this post, we uncover what session replay scripts are, how they work, why they raise serious privacy concerns, and how you can detect and block them to stay safe.
What Are Session Replay Scripts?
Session replay scripts are snippets of code embedded on websites that record and reconstruct user activity. They can capture:
- Mouse movements
- Clicks and taps
- Scrolling behavior
- Keystrokes (including what you typed, even if you didn’t submit it)
- Time spent on each page
- Form field interaction, including errors
The goal? To help site owners analyze user behavior, improve UX, debug issues, or increase conversions.
But these tools don’t just collect analytics—they often recreate an entire session, like a video, replayable by the site’s administrators.
Who Uses These Scripts?
You’ll find session replay scripts used on:
- E-commerce sites (to study buyer behavior and reduce cart abandonment)
- SaaS platforms (for onboarding insights)
- News and content portals (to optimize content layout)
- Customer support portals (to track problem patterns)
Common services that offer session replay functionality include:
- Hotjar
- FullStory
- Crazy Egg
- Smartlook
- Mouseflow
While many of these tools mask sensitive fields by default, not all sites configure them properly—putting your privacy at risk.
Why Are They Controversial?
The problem isn’t just that sites use session replays—it’s how they use them.
1. Privacy Without Consent
Many websites don’t notify users that everything they do is being recorded. This violates transparency norms and sometimes even data protection laws.
2. Data Exposure Risks
Even when form data is “masked,” misconfigurations can lead to:
- Email addresses, passwords, and credit card numbers being recorded
- Sensitive health or financial information captured
- Data being stored on third-party servers without user knowledge
3. GDPR, CPRA, and Legal Compliance
Under GDPR and other privacy laws, recording user behavior without consent or without a lawful purpose can be a serious violation.
Yet many sites still implement these tools silently—especially outside the EU or in countries with weak enforcement.
Real-World Incidents
- In 2017, researchers from Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy found that major websites were leaking sensitive user data via session replay tools—even unintentionally.
- In 2023, several retail brands faced class-action lawsuits in the U.S. over illegal wiretapping claims, triggered by undisclosed session recordings.
Session replay may seem like analytics, but under the law, it can be considered invasive surveillance.
How to Detect Session Replay Scripts
Session replay tools are often stealthy, but there are ways to spot them:
1. Use Browser Extensions
Install privacy-focused tools like:
- uBlock Origin with EasyPrivacy filter
- NoScript or ScriptSafe (to block suspicious JS)
- Privacy Badger (by EFF) to identify trackers
These can alert or block known replay services.
2. Inspect the Page Code
Open your browser’s Developer Tools and look for loaded scripts from:
fullstory.comhotjar.commouseflow.comsmartlook.comcrazyegg.com
Any one of these indicates potential full-session tracking.
3. Check Content Security Policy (CSP) Headers
Some security headers can tell you what external scripts the site is using. Tools like Security Headers can help identify risky inclusions.
How to Block Session Replay Scripts
If you're uncomfortable with these scripts watching you:
- Use script blockers as mentioned above
- Use Brave browser or Firefox with Enhanced Tracking Protection
- Set your browser to reject third-party cookies and limit JavaScript
- Routinely clear cache and cookies after visiting unknown sites
- Route traffic through VPNs that strip known trackers
Blocking scripts may affect site functionality, but it's a worthy tradeoff for privacy-conscious users.
For Site Owners: Ethical Use of Replay Tools
If you run a website and use session replay, follow these guidelines:
- Inform users clearly in your privacy policy and via cookie banners
- Mask all form fields containing personal data
- Avoid tracking users in sensitive contexts (health, legal, finance, etc.)
- Respect DNT (Do Not Track) browser settings
- Choose providers that allow data localization and granular control
Respecting user privacy isn’t just ethical—it’s good business.
Final Thoughts
Session replay scripts offer deep insights—but they also cross a line when used carelessly or without disclosure.
As a user, you have the right to control your digital footprint. Understanding how websites track your behavior empowers you to push back and demand better.
In 2025, privacy should not be optional—it should be the standard.
🚨 CTA
Want to know which websites are quietly recording your sessions?
Check their safety scores on Wyrloop and learn what tracking scripts they use. Protect your privacy—and help others do the same.