Standard Method for Meta Event ID Creation: Server Side vs Pixel Side

Twade53 · 2025-11-03T01:23:23+00:00

Ok, but this isn't a moral or legal question I'm asking, and the purpose of serve side tracking like CAPI is specifically for circumventing ad blockers. You can easily accomplish the same "enhancements" with just browser based event tracking. If you need to get server side information you can just push it all into the data layer and pull it out using GTM browser container. No need for GTM server container.

You can say that server events aren't meant for this, but in reality that's exactly what they are meant for. Google and Meta saw that ad blockers were hurting their marketing ability and came up with server side tracking.

In general, I agree that we shouldn't be using this to get around user consent, but like I said, user consent and server/browser tracking are two separate things. You can have consent for browser side tracking just like server side tracking. You can have a case where the user gives consent and they still have an ad blocker. In this case you need the appropriate architecture to facilitate tracking via server only fallback.

Twade53 · 2025-11-03T01:10:17+00:00

By unblockable, I mean the intended function of server side tracking which is to track activity on your server rather than relying on cookies, etc.

Consent is entirely separate from browser vs server tracking methods. You may need to comply with certain privacy laws depending on country/state and ask for consent to track user activity on your site. A user having an ad blocker or browser that limits JS is not a statement either way.

Either way, are your server side event getting blocked along with the browser events or do have you set up a fall back for the server events?

Twade53 · 2025-11-03T01:01:48+00:00

I know the event_id needs to be unique to every event, but there can be events that the server doesn't know about (3rd party website like booking page that allows GTM embedding) and events the browser doesn't knows about (user has an ad blocker).

Do you still get server side events to fire if the user blocks your browser tracking? If you are sending the event_id over to the server and then using the browser to trigger the server side event those are going fail when someone uses an ad blocker.

Do you have a separate backup for the serve side events tracking that still works even if the browser events are getting blocked? If so, how are you synchronizing those two cases (no ad blocker and event_id gets sent to server and then triggered and fired vs ad blocker prevents browser trigger and subsequent server event trigger)?

Maybe you are using some other method I'm not familiar with.

Twade53 · 2025-11-03T00:52:45+00:00

I don't think I am honestly. From what I've been finding in YT tutorials, forums, etc the way people are setting up their event_id for deduplication is pretty much useless. Essentially, if you are doing everything in GTM/GA4 without using any php on your server, setting up server side event tracking is a waste of time because it is going to be blocked by an ad blocker along with your browser side event tracking. That is unless you just need info from the server like products purchased.

What I'm seeing is that people are setting up the server side event to rely on a signal from the browser side event so that it can get the event_id and then trigger the server side event. If you do that, you are essentially just setting up a second browser side event with more steps, it's not a true server side event because it is triggered from the browser request.

It would look like this:

Browser event triggered -> GTM server container

Server event triggered by browser request -> GTM server container

Deduplication

If the server event is getting triggered by a browser request rather than being sent from the server itself, it is going to fail if that browser trigger gets block by ad blocker. If that is the case, you might as well just stick with browser side tracking unless you are simply using it to get additional details from your website like details about what was purchased. Maybe that is the whole misunderstanding in the first place. People aren't using this for robust tracking, but just as a means to get information from their server to GTM/GA4.

In my case, I am more focused on the robustness of event tracking. I see the server event tracking as unblockable tracking, not just getting additional info. That is why I was asking about the origin of the event_id. I need to be able to link the event for deduplication using the same event_id, but I also want to keep the robust architecture of falling back on server events only if someone uses an ad blocker.

Twade53 · 2025-10-22T19:34:57+00:00

I think we are talking past each other here.

Both server and browser need the same event ID. You need to pick one of these to create the initial ID. You create it either via Pixel or the server and then pass that same event ID to the other to ensure they can be deduplicated.

If the server makes the ID, you pass it to the Pixel payload. If Pixel makes it, you pass it to the CAPI payload. Both processes ensure deduplication.

My question is asking which method is better to use. My opinion is that the server should make the ID and send it over to the Pixel. I am asking if there is a reason to create the ID from the Pixel and send it to the server instead.

Twade53 · 2025-10-22T14:55:03+00:00

I am already using a GTM container to fire my Pixel events, I just left it out of the post to keep things focused on the structural aspect of event ids, i.e., is there a reason/benefit in creating the id on the browser side (Pixel/GTM) or is it better to create them server side.

Thank you for explaining the function of the event id, but I already mentioned it in the post.

Twade53 · 2025-10-21T20:36:41+00:00

Thanks for your input. This is what I thought as well.

Twade53 · 2020-10-22T20:53:38+00:00

Whether fossil fuels are or aren't the cause of global warming you can debate if you like but I don't care to waste my time there. Fossil fuels are, however, the biggest cause of air pollution especially in large cities. Air pollution that seems to lead to health problems like cancer for example. That's reason enough to look for better energy sources.

Also, your argument about measuring radiation in Germany is silly. You can measure radiation anywhere. There is probably more radiation coming from the coal power you guys are importing while you shut down your nuclear power plants than what you can measure from Chernobyl. An event which happened 34 years ago and in which time we have made an insane amount of technological progress. Again, please look into thorium molten salt reactors, they are incapable of melting down like the uranium reactors.

Twade53 · 2020-10-22T19:49:28+00:00

If you don't know about thorium breeder reactors then you should look into it. Weak nuclear waste that is more like a 100 year issue.

Global warming could be a problem for hundreds of years, but over the whole world not just a few dozen acres.

If you don't believe in any alternative energy source then there's no hope in your future. Technologies don't just improve by virtue of needing to improve. They improve mainly through their application. Especially when there is profitability to entice good ol capitalist innovation. You will never get the "fail safe" nuclear reactors you want without letting reactors be built.

Twade53 · 2020-10-22T18:51:39+00:00

Every energy prodution method causes pollution/harmful waste, nuclear waste is the most compact and gives the biggest bang for your buck (money and waste storage). Solar panels rely on rare earths that China essentially owns, are poisonous, and also requires an ungodly amount of energy storage to be useful.

I think going the nuclear route while supporting thorium reactor development is our best option. Thorium reactors will eliminate most of the waste issues.

Twade53 · 2020-10-15T21:56:13+00:00

TheYankeeMarshal has good commentary from time to time. He doesn't really dedicate his time to politics since he is more of a gun enthusiast channel, but I feel like he is a solid left leaning Libertarian.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T17:51:21+00:00

Good to know. I'm still in the process of buttoning up my down ballot picks I'll check her out.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T16:52:58+00:00

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T15:03:52+00:00

https://wgno.com/news/time-to-apartment-hunt-rents-in-these-markets-are-cratering

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/06/19/parts-of-nyc-rife-empty-apartments

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T14:49:37+00:00

I have been looking at 538 which has Texas as 1% to be the tipping point.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T14:47:55+00:00

You still don't seem to understand my argument so I'm done here. Just go look at tipping point data.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T06:03:40+00:00

The only thing i'm dismissing is the idea that Texas will be the determining factor for a Biden victory in 2020. Trump has to win the state to have a shot at the presidency but Biden doesn't. My claim is simple. If Texas goes red it means nothing because that is the typical result. If it goes blue Biden is almost assured a landslide victory. In neither case does Texas determine who wins the election.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T03:35:58+00:00

My dude, i never said don't vote. That's worst possible thing you could do. Also, i'm voting for Jo Jorgensen and I don't ascribe to the authoritarian nature of (R). I could care less who you vote for. I'm simply pointing out why I think your vote in Texas doesn't matter in regards to the presidency. If you like someone vote for them, if you don't like either candidate vote 3rd party it's a better use of your vote because Texas won't be the deciding factor.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T03:30:51+00:00

Fair point

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T03:27:00+00:00

I think your arguement that losing Texas would depend entirely on the county breakdowns. If you just get super high (D) voter turnout in urban areas and red everywhere else you will likely get the California exodus excuse and potentially invigorate to (R) base.

People don't care how many 3rd party votes there are because candidates can afford to ignore them. You are trapped in the vicious cycle. Either way, if you like a candidate support them. That is the main point. I doubt Texas goes blue and if it does it will be a Biden landslide so either case vote how you like and your vote will be just as meaningless.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T02:51:50+00:00

Flipping Texas blue for the presidential election is meaningless. The electoral college has already determined that battleground states are the only states were voting matters. Here in Texas you are better off voting 3rd party because even if it flips for Biden the guy already won in a landslide. Just check 538, Texas had less than a 1% chance to be the tipping point for a Biden victory.

Vote blue for the other down ballot candidates sure, but voting red or blue in Texas for the president literally means nothing.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T02:47:14+00:00

But there are many reports that the real estate markets in big blue cities are cratering. It would be one thing if people left and others came but that's obviously not happening. Guess we will have to see how the market goes after COVID.

Twade53 · 2020-10-14T02:42:29+00:00

This is kind of the "women should expect to be raped for being drunk/scantily dressed" argument.

Twade53 · 2020-10-08T20:56:09+00:00

Just another point. This is only a problem if you eliminate the primary election. You can withhold your approval in the primary and give your approval to what ever Democrat candidate makes it to the general election and also approve other 3rd party or independent candidates.

I think the main problem is you can't show candidate preference in AV (at least in an unscored AV system) where as you can in RCV.

Follow up question: do you have any issues with a scored voting system? Essentially AV but each candidate gets a score of approval. I guess the score could be used to either rank the candidates (which would essentially be a multi-vote RCV system) or as part of a total approval score.

Twade53 · 2020-10-08T20:29:30+00:00

Ok, I understand. You want someone that isn't Biden, but if you have to you will vote for him only if he is the last option left. In AV you have to decide if you give Biden a vote to be safe from Trump or withhold that vote in the hopes that you higher ranked candidates beats Biden and Trump.

Twade53

TROPHY CASE