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Google does not use GA data unless the webmaster chooses to share it with them. I'm not sure if they use it to improve their ad products, but I wouldn't be sur

Google does not use GA data unless the webmaster chooses to share it with them. I'm not sure if they use it to improve their ad products, but I wouldn't be surprised if the answer is no.

TheLogothete 10y ago
ARGH! I HATE TEH GOOGLE AND TEH MARKETERS AND I WILL DOWNVOTE YOU BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE ANALYTICS. IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU ARE RIGHT.
joepie91_ 10y ago
Firstly, this is a decision that should be up to the user, not the webmaster. Secondly, do you have a source for that? I find that a very dubious claim, from a business perspective.
- TheLogothete 10y ago
  Everyone who has signed up for GA knows it. When you sign up you are asked 2 questions: Do you want to share data with google to imrpove our products? Do you want to pool your data for benchmarking purposes? Both are unchecked by default. But here you go, I will search for "google analytics data sharing" for you. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1011397?hl=en https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1011397?hl=en
- fabulist 10y ago
  "We use the information we collect from all of our services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to develop new ones, and to protect Google and our users. We also use this information to offer you tailored content – like giving you more relevant search results and ads." https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ "When you visit a website that uses our advertising products (like AdSense), social products (like the +1 button) or analytics tools (Google Analytics), your web browser automatically sends certain information to Google... When you visit websites or use apps that use Google technologies, we may use the information we receive from those websites and apps..." https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ It should be noted this does not directly contradict what GP claims.
  - dudus 10y ago
    Also related: """ Google Analytics protects the confidentiality of Google Analytics data in several ways: Google Analytics data may not be shared without customer consent, except under certain limited circumstances, such as when required by law. Security-dedicated engineering teams at Google guard against external threats to data. Internal access to data (e.g., by employees) is regulated and subject to the Employee Access Controls and Procedures. """ https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en
    - fabulist 10y ago
      That seems to say Google won't share your Analytics data without making any guarantee that they won't _use_ your analytics data.
    - pdkl95 10y ago
      > protects the confidentiality For their definition of "confidential", which they can change at any time. > certain limited circumstances If they only intended the "required by law" example, they wouldn't use such a broad - and completely undefined - set of circumstances. > guard against external threats Google may have good security practices now, but an continually growing collection of highly-revealing tracking data is a very tempting target for many businesses, governments, etc. If Google (or anybody else) wants to claim that they are protecting your data, they should indemnify the subjects of their spying against any damages those caused by those "external threats".
      - ThisIs_MyName 10y ago
        >they should indemnify the subjects of their spying against any damages those caused by those "external threats" I despise GA as much as the next guy, but you'd have to be pretty crazy to expect any business to provide such a guarantee. Google isn't your insurance company.
        pdkl95 10y ago
- PavlovsCat 10y ago
  > this is a decision that should be up to the user, not the webmaster. This may be a dumb example, but if I get someone (I don't know very well) a glass of water from the kitchen, I won't take a little sip from it on the way. Yes, they might not care, and it's super unlikely that I would infect them with anything. But it's still not my call, and you only need to see someone not get something so basic once to lose a lot of trust in them, certainly if they actually start arguing about it. It's more than optional courtesy, it's a respect for boundaries and personal choices. And it doesn't matter at all how much they are doing otherwise for you, that is orthogonal. By that I mean: nobody asked anyone to make something for free, we're just asking people to not unwittingly have them feed GA if they don't want to. If there are too many things to fix and too few developers, fix fewer things. It's just homebrew, not cancercure. If enough users disagree with that, let them all opt-in and/or volunteer their own time, problem solved either way.
  - throwaway160303 10y ago
    If enough users disagree with that, let them take over maintenance of homebrew. But nobody actually cares that much, only enough to complain. At length.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]

Google does not use GA data unless the webmaster chooses to share it with them. I'm not sure if they use it to improve their ad products, but I wouldn't be surprised if the answer is no.

TheLogothete 10y ago

ARGH! I HATE TEH GOOGLE AND TEH MARKETERS AND I WILL DOWNVOTE YOU BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE ANALYTICS. IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU ARE RIGHT.

joepie91_ 10y ago

Firstly, this is a decision that should be up to the user, not the webmaster. Secondly, do you have a source for that? I find that a very dubious claim, from a business perspective.

TheLogothete 10y ago
Everyone who has signed up for GA knows it. When you sign up you are asked 2 questions: Do you want to share data with google to imrpove our products? Do you want to pool your data for benchmarking purposes? Both are unchecked by default. But here you go, I will search for "google analytics data sharing" for you. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1011397?hl=en https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1011397?hl=en
fabulist 10y ago
"We use the information we collect from all of our services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to develop new ones, and to protect Google and our users. We also use this information to offer you tailored content – like giving you more relevant search results and ads." https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ "When you visit a website that uses our advertising products (like AdSense), social products (like the +1 button) or analytics tools (Google Analytics), your web browser automatically sends certain information to Google... When you visit websites or use apps that use Google technologies, we may use the information we receive from those websites and apps..." https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ It should be noted this does not directly contradict what GP claims.
- dudus 10y ago
  Also related: """ Google Analytics protects the confidentiality of Google Analytics data in several ways: Google Analytics data may not be shared without customer consent, except under certain limited circumstances, such as when required by law. Security-dedicated engineering teams at Google guard against external threats to data. Internal access to data (e.g., by employees) is regulated and subject to the Employee Access Controls and Procedures. """ https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en
  - fabulist 10y ago
    That seems to say Google won't share your Analytics data without making any guarantee that they won't _use_ your analytics data.
  - pdkl95 10y ago
    > protects the confidentiality For their definition of "confidential", which they can change at any time. > certain limited circumstances If they only intended the "required by law" example, they wouldn't use such a broad - and completely undefined - set of circumstances. > guard against external threats Google may have good security practices now, but an continually growing collection of highly-revealing tracking data is a very tempting target for many businesses, governments, etc. If Google (or anybody else) wants to claim that they are protecting your data, they should indemnify the subjects of their spying against any damages those caused by those "external threats".
    - ThisIs_MyName 10y ago
      >they should indemnify the subjects of their spying against any damages those caused by those "external threats" I despise GA as much as the next guy, but you'd have to be pretty crazy to expect any business to provide such a guarantee. Google isn't your insurance company.
      - pdkl95 10y ago
PavlovsCat 10y ago
> this is a decision that should be up to the user, not the webmaster. This may be a dumb example, but if I get someone (I don't know very well) a glass of water from the kitchen, I won't take a little sip from it on the way. Yes, they might not care, and it's super unlikely that I would infect them with anything. But it's still not my call, and you only need to see someone not get something so basic once to lose a lot of trust in them, certainly if they actually start arguing about it. It's more than optional courtesy, it's a respect for boundaries and personal choices. And it doesn't matter at all how much they are doing otherwise for you, that is orthogonal. By that I mean: nobody asked anyone to make something for free, we're just asking people to not unwittingly have them feed GA if they don't want to. If there are too many things to fix and too few developers, fix fewer things. It's just homebrew, not cancercure. If enough users disagree with that, let them all opt-in and/or volunteer their own time, problem solved either way.
- throwaway160303 10y ago
  If enough users disagree with that, let them take over maintenance of homebrew. But nobody actually cares that much, only enough to complain. At length.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]