8x8

Overview

8x8 is a cloud communications platform founded in 1987 and headquartered in Campbell, California. It provides UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) and CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) solutions including VoIP phone systems, video conferencing, team messaging, and omnichannel contact centre tools. On websites, 8x8 is primarily encountered through its customer engagement widgets — the 8x8 Chat, Voice, and Video contact widgets that organisations embed to offer real-time customer support. 8x8 also operates Jitsi Video Platform infrastructure and has acquired companies including Fuze and Wavecell.

What This Script Does

The 8x8 contact widget script loads from 8x8.vc or storage.googleapis.com/8x8-wclient/ and renders an interactive chat, click-to-call, or video support interface in the page corner. On page load, the script establishes a connection to 8x8's cloud infrastructure and initialises the contact routing configuration.

Cookies and identifiers set:

• 8x8_visitor_id — Returning visitor identifier set on the host domain; used to recognise a returning contact and pre-populate chat history or route to a previously assigned agent; expiry 1 year.
• 8x8_session — Session token for the current chat or voice interaction; manages queue position, agent routing state, and conversation continuity during the session; expires at session end.
• 8x8_consent — Stores the visitor's consent preference for chat history retention, where configured; expiry 1 year.
• Local storage key 8x8_chat_history — Caches recent conversation messages for display on return visits; cleared on explicit user deletion.

Script filenames and CDN: chat-widget.js loaded from 8x8.vc or a customer-specific subdomain. WebSocket connections established to ws.8x8.vc for real-time messaging. Voice calls route through WebRTC to 8x8's media servers. Analytics events POST to analytics.8x8.vc.

Per-session data collected:

• Page URL and referral source when the chat was initiated
• Queue wait time and agent response time
• Full chat transcript (retained on 8x8's platform for quality monitoring)
• Call recording metadata (where voice is used)
• Browser and device metadata for routing optimisation
• IP address for geographic routing to the nearest 8x8 data centre
• Visitor identity details if provided during chat (name, email, account number)

Contact routing logic: On page load, the script evaluates routing rules (business hours, queue availability, page context) to configure the widget's appearance and behaviour — determining whether to show live chat, a callback request form, or a self-service menu. This evaluation occurs automatically before any user interaction.

Consent & Compliance

8x8 widgets are classified under the functional category. The primary purpose is delivering a direct communication channel between the website visitor and the business — a functional service. However, the 8x8_visitor_id persistent cookie for returning visitor identification goes beyond what is strictly necessary for a single interaction and has a tracking dimension. Under GDPR, the functional nature of the chat service may support a legitimate interest basis, but the persistent visitor tracking cookie still requires consideration under the ePrivacy Directive. Under CCPA/CPRA, chat transcripts and visitor identification data constitute personal information that must be disclosed in the privacy notice. 8x8 participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and maintains SCCs for EU data transfers.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

Conditional. If the 8x8 widget loads only when a user explicitly initiates contact (clicking a support button) and sets session cookies only at that point, it can be treated as functional and loaded without consent. If the script loads automatically on page load and sets the persistent 8x8_visitor_id cookie before any interaction, block it until functional consent is granted.