Matomo: This is how the federal government protects your data during web analysis!

Matomo: This is how the federal government protects your data during web analysis!

On May 19, 2025, the Federal Ministry of Finance, led by Federal Finance Minister Klingbeil, provided a comprehensive insight into the use of the web analysis tool Matomo. Matomo is not only used by numerous federal authorities, but is also highlighted as a data-saving solution for analyzing user behavior on websites.

The collection of key figures for web analysis is a central purpose of Matomo. This is how the “matomo.js” script is executed after user consent. The device information read includes, among other things, device type, device brand, device model, screen resolution, operating system version and browser used. What's exciting is that no cookies are stored when using Matomo.

Data security and data protection

Particular attention was paid to the protection of personal data. Although the service collects some data such as shortened IP addresses, URLs accessed and length of stay, it only stores these for a period of 30 days before they are automatically deleted. Important security-related measures are implemented: The last two octets of the IP address are omitted, thereby avoiding complete storage of the IP address. Matomo does not collect any other personal data beyond this.

The legal basis for processing is based on Section 3 Paragraph 1 of the E-Government Act in conjunction with Section 3 BDSG and the consent in accordance with Article 25 Paragraph 1 TTDSG. In order to comply with data protection requirements, Matomo is operated locally on servers in Germany, which means that data transfer to third parties is excluded.

User-friendliness and purpose of data collection

The purpose of data collection via Matomo is primarily to improve the user-friendliness of the websites concerned. The data collected makes it possible to optimize the structure and design of websites without creating individual usage profiles. This data protection-friendly approach was positively highlighted by the supervisory body, which emphasizes that website offerings must be regularly checked for legal compliance.

The web analysis tool Matomo can also be configured to either store unique characteristics in cookies or to work via parameters. Although the service aims to keep data processing as minimal as possible, the processing of the IP address is a technical necessity for the operation and provision of websites.

Overall, it shows that Matomo offers a flexible solution for web analytics that is in line with the strict data protection requirements in Germany. The transparent handling and data security measures strengthen trust in this application.

Further information on specific data processing can be found on the official website of the Federal Ministry of Finance here as well as information from the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information on their website here.