What is IP anonymization?

IP anonymization is a process that helps enhance user privacy by hiding or removing part of a user’s IP address. By masking certain digits in the IP address (such as the last octet in IPv4 or the last 80 bits in IPv6), it becomes impossible to identify individual users based on their IP alone. 

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are classified as personal data. If you collect IP addresses for analytics or tracking, it’s crucial to inform your visitors about this data collection to ensure GDPR compliance. Analytics platforms, like Google Analytics 4 masks IP addresses by default, helping EU-based organizations to comply with GDPR.