Data protection meets data analysis - TelemetryDeck for apps

TelemetryDeck is a privacy-friendly analytics platform for apps and websites that works completely without personal references. Instead of identifying individual users or creating profiles, only anonymized usage events are analysed, such as when and how often certain functions of an app are used. "We want to help developers improve their products without collecting personal data," explains Lisa Figas, co-founder of the company. This approach is particularly crucial in the health and medical technology sector, for example in digital health applications. It is important to comply with legal requirements and at the same time gain sufficient insight into the use of the application.

Customers receive a software development kit (SDK), i.e. a small snippet of code that is integrated into their own app. As soon as the app is opened, anonymized data points are automatically sent to the TelemetryDeck servers. This data can then be analyzed. Developers can see, for example, which functions are used particularly frequently or at what times the app is active, but without being able to identify individual people.

The idea for the company arose from a very practical problem. Lisa Figas got in touch with a developer from Augsburg who was working on an app via a Twitter contact. While gaining insight into the design and providing feedback, it quickly became clear that there was no analytics solution for such applications that would meet the high requirements for protecting sensitive data. The actual app increasingly faded into the background and the idea of an independent platform developed instead. This need gave rise to TelemetryDeck as a solution to a structural problem faced by many developers.

In the healthcare sector in particular, the question often arises as to how privacy protection can be implemented in a technically comprehensible way, especially when personal data is deliberately not collected. "It's not so easy to prove what you're not doing," says Figas, describing this challenge.

The solution relies on cookie-free tracking, which enables meaningful usage analyses without triggering cookie banners or consent requirements. Technically, the solution is based on a multi-stage anonymization process. Each user ID is salted and hashed directly on the device - this means that it is changed with a random addition and then converted into an unreadable character string. The ID is also processed again on TelemetryDeck's servers, making it impossible to trace it back to the original person.

Data protection is therefore not a downstream compliance issue, but a central component of the product design. At the same time, the solution remains practical: integration takes just a few minutes and the data collected is available to users in real time.

The company not only impresses with its technical functions, but also with an approach that focuses on responsibility and user protection. In many digital products, however, the issue of data protection is often underestimated or neglected - TelemetryDeck sees itself as a pioneer here: "We don't protect the data - in the end, we protect the people," says Figas. This guiding principle shapes the entire product development and makes the platform particularly relevant for sensitive fields of application such as healthcare.

The vision is clear: customers should use data sensibly and responsibly without losing sight of people's privacy. At a time of growing regulation and increasing demands on digital applications, this approach is becoming increasingly relevant. TelemetryDeck's membership of the Bayern Innovativ innovation network enables it to engage directly with regional experts and has a strong connection to healthcare technologies. This results in practical solutions that combine innovation, user-centricity and data protection and at the same time contribute to strengthening innovation and the economy in Bavaria.