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> it entirely disables Google Analytics on every site. Some might find being tracked across most of the Internet to be a privacy concern. People put google a

> it entirely disables Google Analytics on every site. Some might find being tracked across most of the Internet to be a privacy concern. People put google analytics on their site because of the 'free' data they get from google, and I suspect most don't consider that there is a cost - it's just their users that are paying it.

sjwright 12y ago
If you think GA is a privacy concern, you should consider services like gmail to be a privacy concern too. Perhaps they should block that too. "Paying for it"? GA doesn't do much that a webmaster couldn't otherwise learn by analysing their webserver log files.
- oconnore 12y ago
  Yes, lots of people don't use gmail for this reason. GA does a lot that webmasters couldn't normally do -- specifically: to cross reference those requests with requests to almost every other website, and use that data to build a full profile of the user. (Granted, the full profile is not available to the webmaster, only to Google's ad targeting platform).
- GrinningFool 12y ago
  >> If you think GA is a privacy concern, you should consider services like gmail to be a privacy concern too. Perhaps they should block that too. I'm not sure what one has to do with another. GA is something developers (or marketers) decide to pull into their sites, exposing their users to having their activity tracked across all sites that use GA. gmail is a product that someone elects to use. Apples and oranges. >> Paying for it"? GA doesn't do much that a webmaster couldn't otherwise learn by analysing their webserver log files. That's the unfortunate truth; and there are also many free packages that will do similar things -- all of which can be done without tracking people across most of the sites they visit. Still, none of them are as quick and convenient as dropping in a line of javascript. I just wish that more developers would give thought to whose data they're giving away when they drop in that line of javascript.

sjwright 12y ago

If you think GA is a privacy concern, you should consider services like gmail to be a privacy concern too. Perhaps they should block that too. "Paying for it"? GA doesn't do much that a webmaster couldn't otherwise learn by analysing their webserver log files.

oconnore 12y ago
Yes, lots of people don't use gmail for this reason. GA does a lot that webmasters couldn't normally do -- specifically: to cross reference those requests with requests to almost every other website, and use that data to build a full profile of the user. (Granted, the full profile is not available to the webmaster, only to Google's ad targeting platform).
GrinningFool 12y ago
>> If you think GA is a privacy concern, you should consider services like gmail to be a privacy concern too. Perhaps they should block that too. I'm not sure what one has to do with another. GA is something developers (or marketers) decide to pull into their sites, exposing their users to having their activity tracked across all sites that use GA. gmail is a product that someone elects to use. Apples and oranges. >> Paying for it"? GA doesn't do much that a webmaster couldn't otherwise learn by analysing their webserver log files. That's the unfortunate truth; and there are also many free packages that will do similar things -- all of which can be done without tracking people across most of the sites they visit. Still, none of them are as quick and convenient as dropping in a line of javascript. I just wish that more developers would give thought to whose data they're giving away when they drop in that line of javascript.