Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about FairCite bot detection, integration, and analytics.
General Questions
What is FairCite?
FairCite is a bot detection and analytics service that helps publishers identify and track AI bots, scrapers, and crawlers accessing their content. We provide real-time analytics and insights about automated traffic to your website.
Do I need a FairCite account?
Yes, you need a FairCite account to use our service. We offer a free tier with basic bot detection features. Create your account here.
Which platforms do you support?
We support all major platforms including:
- WordPress (plugin)
- Next.js (middleware)
- Express.js (middleware)
- Django (middleware)
- Laravel (middleware)
- Ruby on Rails (gem)
- Cloudflare Workers
How accurate is the bot detection?
Our detection uses advanced pattern matching and is continuously updated to identify new bots and crawlers. We maintain high accuracy for known bot patterns including major AI agents, search crawlers, and scraping tools.
Performance & Technical
Does this slow down my website?
No, FairCite is designed for minimal performance impact:
- <1ms added to request processing
- Non-blocking: Async processing doesn't delay responses
- Intelligent batching: Reduces network requests by 10-100x
- Memory efficient: Automatic cleanup and size limits
How long before I see data in the dashboard?
Bot detection starts immediately after integration. Data typically appears in your dashboard within 1-2 minutes due to our intelligent batching system.
Can I use this on multiple websites?
Yes, but each website needs its own Site ID and API Key. Add each site separately in your FairCite dashboard to get unique credentials for each domain.
What are the system requirements?
General requirements:
- HTTPS enabled on your website
- Ability to make outbound HTTPS requests
- Modern web browser support (for JavaScript tracking)
Platform-specific:
- WordPress 5.0+
- PHP 7.4+
- curl extension enabled
- Next.js 12.2+
- Node.js 16.8+
- Middleware support
Privacy & Data
What data does FairCite collect?
FairCite only collects data necessary for bot detection:
- User agent strings: To identify bot patterns
- IP addresses: For bot identification only (not stored long-term)
- Request timestamps: For analytics and pattern analysis
- Page URLs: For traffic analytics (paths only, no parameters)
We do NOT collect: Personal user data, form submissions, cookies, or any identifiable information about your human visitors.
Is this GDPR compliant?
Yes, FairCite is designed with privacy in mind:
- Only processes data necessary for bot detection
- No personal user data is collected or stored
- IP addresses are used for detection only, not stored permanently
- Focuses on automated traffic, not human visitors
How long do you store data?
Analytics data is retained for up to 12 months for reporting purposes. IP addresses used for bot detection are not stored long-term and are processed in memory only.
Can I export my data?
Yes, you can export your analytics data through the dashboard. We provide CSV exports of your bot detection data and traffic analytics.
Analytics & Reporting
What types of bots can you detect?
AI Agents:
- ChatGPT / GPTBot
- Claude (Anthropic)
- Gemini (Google)
- Perplexity
- Claude-Web
Crawlers & Tools:
- Search engines (Google, Bing)
- Social media crawlers
- SEO tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush)
- Monitoring services
- Content scrapers
How do I access the analytics dashboard?
Log into your FairCite dashboard at dashboard.faircite.com using your account credentials. From there, you can view:
- Real-time bot detection data
- Traffic patterns and trends
- Bot type breakdowns
- Geographic distribution
- Historical analytics
Can I customize detection settings?
Basic detection settings can be configured through your dashboard. For advanced customization or specific bot patterns, contact our support team at support@faircite.com.
Do you offer API access?
Currently, data access is through the web dashboard. API access for programmatic data retrieval is in development. Contact us if you have specific API requirements.
Billing & Plans
Do you have a free plan?
Yes, we offer a free tier with basic bot detection features suitable for small websites. Upgrade options are available for high-traffic sites or advanced features.
What are the usage limits?
Usage limits depend on your plan tier. Free plans include basic detection for standard traffic volumes. Contact us for high-volume or enterprise requirements.
Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?
Plan changes can be made through your dashboard or by contacting support. Changes take effect at your next billing cycle.
Integration & Setup
I'm getting "Invalid credentials" errors
This usually indicates an issue with your Site ID or API Key:
- Verify you're copying the complete credentials without extra spaces
- Make sure Site ID and API Key are in the correct fields
- Check that your domain matches exactly what's in the dashboard
- If problems persist, regenerate your credentials
See our full troubleshooting guide for detailed solutions.
The integration test passes but I don't see data
If connection tests pass but data isn't appearing:
- Wait 1-2 minutes for initial data processing
- Visit your website to generate test traffic
- Check if batching is working - try the "flush batches" option
- Enable debug mode to see detailed logs
- Verify your website isn't blocking the tracking script
Can I test the integration locally?
Yes! Enable debug mode in your integration settings to see detailed logging. For local development:
# Next.js FC_DEBUG=true npm run dev # WordPress Enable debug mode in plugin settingsThis will show you exactly what data is being sent and any errors that occur.