4 ms·

Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On

41 points by mitchbob 3y ago

butz 3y ago
Who needs standards. Do Not Track? Better build our own extension.
brucethemoose2 3y ago
Do I even need this with a "blocking" browser like Cromite?
- Obscurity4340 3y ago
  I love that spelling for some reason. Can't put my finger on why
  - JadeNB 3y ago
    It's so cromulent.
    - Obscurity4340 3y ago
      That's a delightfully "extra" word lol. I can't ever see myself using it unironically or outside of some goofy language game or something. Same way I feel about "reify", its ostensibly useful in a very limited gamut of meaning but you almost never see any native English speaker use it even at the highest levels.
      - porridgeraisin 3y ago
        Yeah, npm uses it though during npm install. Lol. I knew of the word only then.
        Obscurity4340 3y ago
        No way?! I stand corrected but also that is hilarious. In fact, I think I have used it like once with regard to the physical basis through which qubits actually reify computation but I don't even know if thatisn't technically gobbledeygook. You can obviously be aware of the spirit of its inquiry but it could also be pretensious nonsense I just don't have a better way to articulate. Edit: wait: reify or cromulent? The whole spiel wws for reify before I realized cromulent came first lol
- sphars 3y ago
  Don't need it if you're using Cromite, as it uses AdBlockPlus filters by default: https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt
Obscurity4340 3y ago
That's cute, it should read" "opt"-"out" "
tech234a 3y ago
Notably it still uses Manifest V2 so it will likely break if it isn't updated before Manifest V3 becomes required.
pacifika 3y ago
That’s GDPR evidence for not having informed consent isn’t it?
- 0ct4via 3y ago
  Not even remotely. The Google Analytics JavaScript (gtag.js, analytics.js) runs on sites using Google Analytics, to share site-usage data (which can be gathered from either consented cookies, or "legitimate interest" exceptions) with Google Analytics. The EU-mandated cookie box/popup literally lists Google Analytics on sites that use it, and this categorically states you can control refusal of that by using the browser add-on -- which is clearly informed consent, because you can choose not to install it, knowing the data (which could be gathered by other means anyway) will then be passed on to Analytics. Of course this is for the average non-technical end user, who hasn't -- for example -- already used something like NoScript to block the JavaScript from running in the first place...
  - SahAssar 3y ago
    > which is clearly informed consent, because you can choose not to install it I don't even know if you are sarcastic but: That is not how that works, legally or otherwise.
    - 0ct4via 3y ago
      The information can be collected anyway under legitimate interest provisions, which is (a) already listed and discussed, and (b) the relevant cookies have their own opt-outs. The GA add-on is purely about that same data being passed to GA - and the very same cookie pop-up literally tells you what information is sent, why, and tells you how you can opt out (by either blocking the JavaScript, or installing the add-on) -- it literally meets the requirements for informed consent, as you put it, "legally or otherwise." Might want to go check that out before trying to make baseless claims, "legally or otherwise."
      - SahAssar 3y ago
Karellen 3y ago
Because if you don't want Google analysing what you do on the internet, of course you're going to trust a Google-supplied add-on to manage that in your interests, and not in Google's. Wat?
- Jensson 3y ago
  If it didn't do what was advertised someone would have already posted it here, it isn't that hard to analyze these things.
  - Karellen 3y ago
    The current initial version might very well be innocuous. Are you going to analyze every update? Or even remember to check online to find the results of someone else's analysis of every update? Or do you trust Google to never change their priorities with regards to how this extension operates?
    - chii 3y ago
      On the other hand, they already own chrome. There's no need to try sneak something into an addon, when they could've done the same in chrome.
    - Gigablah 3y ago
      Now apply your argument to “random anonymous person” or “small startup”.
    - ianlevesque 3y ago
      Not a googler but sometimes the paranoia on this forum is really over the top. Even in the barren privacy wasteland that is the United States you can’t provide a product that is advertised as an opt out mechanism and then make it not do that! Even burying that in the terms of service won’t fly. They would have to just discontinue it.
      - SenAnder 3y ago
neilv 3y ago
I think this is a much better solution for that problem and many others: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin...
mhasbini 3y ago
source code: /* Copyright 2010 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/intl/en/eula_text.html */ (function () { var a = document.createElement("script"); a.type = "text/javascript"; a.innerText = 'window["_gaUserPrefs"] = { ioo : function() { return true; } }'; document.documentElement.insertBefore(a, document.documentElement.firstChild); })();
lapcat 3y ago
Here's a Manifest V3 extension to block Google Analytics. First, the manifest.json file: { "name": "Block Google Analytics", "version": "1.0", "description": "Blocks Google Analytics.", "declarative_net_request": { "rule_resources": [{ "id": "ruleset_1", "enabled": true, "path": "rules.json" }] }, "permissions": [ "declarativeNetRequest" ], "manifest_version": 3 } And the rules.json file: [ { "id": 1, "action": { "type": "block" }, "condition": { "domainType": "thirdParty", "requestDomains": [ "analytics.google.com", "google-analytics.com" ], "resourceTypes": [ "ping", "script", "xmlhttprequest" ] } } ]
redder23 3y ago
Just use Brave or install uBlock origin Firefox or other Chromium based browsers. And god forbid do not use Chrome. And make sure you have the Easy-Privacy list active. Brave actually uses the list internally without showing it to the user on the filter list screen. If you would like to block tracking this way you would need to install thousands of addons for every company/domain/... its a pretty shitty solution. Is Google by law somewhere required to provide this or why is this an actual official extension?
- timeon 3y ago
  Even better: do not use Chromium based browsers.
- qwertyuiop_ 3y ago
  +1 this ^ I have tried FF with ublock and other browsers. But Brave gets it better. Out of the box aggressive blocking and yet the same time providing smooth transaction experience - purchasing, adding to carts, sessions etc are frustration free without fiddling with individual filters. Performance is added bonus. Go Team Brave !!
- heavyset_go 3y ago
  Firefox with no add-ons with Enhanced Tracking Protection set to strict will block Google Analytics. See this HN submission: Firefox replaces Google Analytics with fake no-op in strict tracking protection[1]. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26280808 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26280808
makeitdouble 3y ago
This is probably an good thing if you're in any situation where you'd want an official, perfectly identifiable entity providing the blocking extension. For instance this could be easier to convince a school board to introduce this extension than another one with a weird name, made by some gorhill guy they've never heard about.

41 points by mitchbob 3y ago

butz 3y ago

Who needs standards. Do Not Track? Better build our own extension.

brucethemoose2 3y ago

Do I even need this with a "blocking" browser like Cromite?

Obscurity4340 3y ago
I love that spelling for some reason. Can't put my finger on why
- JadeNB 3y ago
  It's so cromulent.
  - Obscurity4340 3y ago
    That's a delightfully "extra" word lol. I can't ever see myself using it unironically or outside of some goofy language game or something. Same way I feel about "reify", its ostensibly useful in a very limited gamut of meaning but you almost never see any native English speaker use it even at the highest levels.
    - porridgeraisin 3y ago
      Yeah, npm uses it though during npm install. Lol. I knew of the word only then.
      - Obscurity4340 3y ago
        No way?! I stand corrected but also that is hilarious. In fact, I think I have used it like once with regard to the physical basis through which qubits actually reify computation but I don't even know if thatisn't technically gobbledeygook. You can obviously be aware of the spirit of its inquiry but it could also be pretensious nonsense I just don't have a better way to articulate. Edit: wait: reify or cromulent? The whole spiel wws for reify before I realized cromulent came first lol
sphars 3y ago
Don't need it if you're using Cromite, as it uses AdBlockPlus filters by default: https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt

Obscurity4340 3y ago

That's cute, it should read" "opt"-"out" "

tech234a 3y ago

Notably it still uses Manifest V2 so it will likely break if it isn't updated before Manifest V3 becomes required.

pacifika 3y ago

That’s GDPR evidence for not having informed consent isn’t it?

0ct4via 3y ago
Not even remotely. The Google Analytics JavaScript (gtag.js, analytics.js) runs on sites using Google Analytics, to share site-usage data (which can be gathered from either consented cookies, or "legitimate interest" exceptions) with Google Analytics. The EU-mandated cookie box/popup literally lists Google Analytics on sites that use it, and this categorically states you can control refusal of that by using the browser add-on -- which is clearly informed consent, because you can choose not to install it, knowing the data (which could be gathered by other means anyway) will then be passed on to Analytics. Of course this is for the average non-technical end user, who hasn't -- for example -- already used something like NoScript to block the JavaScript from running in the first place...
- SahAssar 3y ago
  > which is clearly informed consent, because you can choose not to install it I don't even know if you are sarcastic but: That is not how that works, legally or otherwise.
  - 0ct4via 3y ago
    The information can be collected anyway under legitimate interest provisions, which is (a) already listed and discussed, and (b) the relevant cookies have their own opt-outs. The GA add-on is purely about that same data being passed to GA - and the very same cookie pop-up literally tells you what information is sent, why, and tells you how you can opt out (by either blocking the JavaScript, or installing the add-on) -- it literally meets the requirements for informed consent, as you put it, "legally or otherwise." Might want to go check that out before trying to make baseless claims, "legally or otherwise."
    - SahAssar 3y ago

Karellen 3y ago

Because if you don't want Google analysing what you do on the internet, of course you're going to trust a Google-supplied add-on to manage that in your interests, and not in Google's. Wat?

Jensson 3y ago
If it didn't do what was advertised someone would have already posted it here, it isn't that hard to analyze these things.
- Karellen 3y ago
  The current initial version might very well be innocuous. Are you going to analyze every update? Or even remember to check online to find the results of someone else's analysis of every update? Or do you trust Google to never change their priorities with regards to how this extension operates?
  - chii 3y ago
    On the other hand, they already own chrome. There's no need to try sneak something into an addon, when they could've done the same in chrome.
  - Gigablah 3y ago
    Now apply your argument to “random anonymous person” or “small startup”.
  - ianlevesque 3y ago
    Not a googler but sometimes the paranoia on this forum is really over the top. Even in the barren privacy wasteland that is the United States you can’t provide a product that is advertised as an opt out mechanism and then make it not do that! Even burying that in the terms of service won’t fly. They would have to just discontinue it.
    - SenAnder 3y ago

neilv 3y ago

I think this is a much better solution for that problem and many others: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin...

mhasbini 3y ago

source code: /* Copyright 2010 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/intl/en/eula_text.html */ (function () { var a = document.createElement("script"); a.type = "text/javascript"; a.innerText = 'window["_gaUserPrefs"] = { ioo : function() { return true; } }'; document.documentElement.insertBefore(a, document.documentElement.firstChild); })();

lapcat 3y ago

Here's a Manifest V3 extension to block Google Analytics. First, the manifest.json file: { "name": "Block Google Analytics", "version": "1.0", "description": "Blocks Google Analytics.", "declarative_net_request": { "rule_resources": [{ "id": "ruleset_1", "enabled": true, "path": "rules.json" }] }, "permissions": [ "declarativeNetRequest" ], "manifest_version": 3 } And the rules.json file: [ { "id": 1, "action": { "type": "block" }, "condition": { "domainType": "thirdParty", "requestDomains": [ "analytics.google.com", "google-analytics.com" ], "resourceTypes": [ "ping", "script", "xmlhttprequest" ] } } ]

redder23 3y ago

Just use Brave or install uBlock origin Firefox or other Chromium based browsers. And god forbid do not use Chrome. And make sure you have the Easy-Privacy list active. Brave actually uses the list internally without showing it to the user on the filter list screen. If you would like to block tracking this way you would need to install thousands of addons for every company/domain/... its a pretty shitty solution. Is Google by law somewhere required to provide this or why is this an actual official extension?

timeon 3y ago
Even better: do not use Chromium based browsers.
qwertyuiop_ 3y ago
+1 this ^ I have tried FF with ublock and other browsers. But Brave gets it better. Out of the box aggressive blocking and yet the same time providing smooth transaction experience - purchasing, adding to carts, sessions etc are frustration free without fiddling with individual filters. Performance is added bonus. Go Team Brave !!
heavyset_go 3y ago
Firefox with no add-ons with Enhanced Tracking Protection set to strict will block Google Analytics. See this HN submission: Firefox replaces Google Analytics with fake no-op in strict tracking protection[1]. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26280808 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26280808

makeitdouble 3y ago

This is probably an good thing if you're in any situation where you'd want an official, perfectly identifiable entity providing the blocking extension. For instance this could be easier to convince a school board to introduce this extension than another one with a weird name, made by some gorhill guy they've never heard about.