What is the X-AB cookie?
X-AB is an HTTP cookie associated with Snapchat's services, served from the .sc-static.net domain, which Snap Inc. uses for its static content and advertising infrastructure. The name suggests an A/B testing purpose, meaning it likely assigns visitors to different variants of a feature, ad, or experience.
The cookie appears on a website when that site embeds the Snap Pixel, a Snapchat share button, or another element from Snapchat's ecosystem. It is not set directly by the host site but by the Snapchat script loaded on the page.
What data it stores
X-AB most likely stores an identifier or code indicating the test group (variant A or B) a visitor has been assigned to, used to keep the experience consistent across later sessions. The exact value format is not publicly documented by Snap Inc. and may vary.
Data collected through this cookie is sent to Snapchat/Snap Inc. servers as part of the communication between the site and Snapchat's advertising infrastructure.
What it is used for
- Allows Snapchat to test different variants of ads, features, or interfaces across distinct user groups.
- Helps optimize the performance of advertising campaigns run through Snap Ads or Snap Pixel.
- Supports measuring and segmenting user behavior for advertising effectiveness reports.
Does it require consent?
In CookieFix's classification, X-AB falls under the marketing category (advertising/tracking). Under Romania's Law 506/2004 (transposing the ePrivacy Directive) and the GDPR, this type of cookie requires the visitor's prior, explicit, freely given consent before being placed.
Website administrators must declare the cookie in their cookie policy, include it under the marketing category in the consent banner, and ensure the Snapchat script does not run before the visitor grants consent.
How to block or delete X-AB
A visitor can delete or block this cookie through browser settings (managing per-site cookies or clearing browsing data), as well as by using tracker-blocking extensions or browser privacy features.
For website administrators, the recommended approach is a CMP such as CookieFix, which automatically blocks Snapchat scripts (including those setting X-AB) until the visitor gives consent for the marketing category, helping meet prior-consent requirements.
Frequently asked questions
It's a marketing cookie set by Snapchat on the .sc-static.net domain, likely used for A/B testing and segmenting users for advertising purposes.
It typically lasts 1 day before expiring automatically from the browser.
Yes, as it is classified as a marketing cookie, it requires the user's prior consent under GDPR and Romania's Law 506/2004.
You can use a CMP such as CookieFix, which blocks Snapchat scripts until the visitor accepts the marketing category in the consent banner.