kapa.ai What does it mean when a distinct id is associated to multiple users?
When a distinct_id is associated with multiple users in Mixpanel, it typically means that the same identifier (distinct_id) is being used for events generated by more than one actual user. This can happen due to implementation issues, such as: - Using a static string or a non-unique value for distinct_id or in the identify call, causing multiple users' events to be attributed to the same distinct_id. For example, if you call mixpanel.identify('user_id')
with the literal string 'user_id'
for every user, all users will share the same distinct_id, and their actions will be merged together in Mixpanel, making it impossible to distinguish between them. This is a common implementation mistake and should be avoided by always passing a unique value for each user Changing your implementation.- In the context of identity management and ID merge, Mixpanel creates "identity clusters" to unify different identifiers (such as anonymous device IDs and user IDs) that belong to the same user. However, if the same distinct_id is somehow used for multiple actual users (for example, due to improper use of reset or identify), it can result in data for different users being merged, which leads to inaccurate user counts and user journeys Identity Management Overview.In summary, a distinct_id should uniquely represent a single user. If it is associated with multiple users, it indicates a problem in your implementation, and you should review how distinct_ids are being assigned and managed to ensure accurate user tracking.
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