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Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

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Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#31

Post by buro9 »

grinich wrote: post #24
not_an_alien wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just disable Javascript, case closed.

How many people actually disable Javascript in their browser? I'm curious, because I find it essential to do almost anything online nowadays. Even voting on HN uses ajax.

I run NoScript in Firefox and only sites I've specified have JavaScript enabled, and usually only for files served by that domain.

So I guess I'd count as someone with JavaScript disabled for the vast majority of sites where I am just reading something and not wanting to interact with the page.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#32

Post by DrSprout »

grinich wrote: post #24
not_an_alien wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just disable Javascript, case closed.

How many people actually disable Javascript in their browser? I'm curious, because I find it essential to do almost anything online nowadays. Even voting on HN uses ajax.

I use NoScript. HN and GA are both whitelisted.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#33

Post by ErrantX »

orangecat wrote: post #23
nopal wrote: post #15

From a site owner's perspective, I don't like this. It's always been possible for a site owner to track certain things via access logs, I think Google should still allow for those basic metrics to be tracked via Google Analytics. While it's still possible to track site usage via logs, I don't think Google should give end users a way to bypass the wishes of a site owner. If someone is using my site, I believe I have t…

don't think Google should give end users a way to bypass the wishes of a site owner You don't think users should have control over their own property? If someone is using my site, I believe I have the right to have access to certain usage information. You have the right to ask for that information. You have no right to compel the user to answer.

You don't think users should have control over their own property?

Oh, come on there is a limit. I mean; the only reason this is big news is because Google supplies a lot of sites with analytics. If a site uses another service then this opt out is useless (in terms of them not being tracked). Additionally they are providing all this data to the site directly - Google is just the aggregator some webmasters choose.

This is, in fact, about people preferring Google not having their information. Which is a fair enough point (if I visit XYZ.com I don't implicitly agree to provide my data to Google).

I think there is a fair gentlemans agreement in place; whereby website owners have a "reasonable expectation" to be able to see what kind of users are accessing a site. If we start calling that personal information I suspect it will start to turn into a Mexican stand off of users hiding data and webmasters trying to sneak it out of them :)

A friend of mine pointed out a useful metaphor: it is like a customer dressing in baggy clothing, using a ski mask and voice modulator and then sneaking into a shop to buy something with gold pieces - because they don't want to provide demographics to the shop owner. Sure it is their right; but it also doesn't benefit anyone :)

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#34

Post by jasonlotito »

jk8 wrote: post #28
callahad wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you thinking of the "if you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place" quote? If you look at the full quote [0], it's actually quite reasonable and forthright. He's explicitly warning users that search engines, including Google, are subject to inquiries from law enforcement, and thus, should not be considered secure, rather than dismissing privacy out of…

No, I wasn't thinking of that quote but now I cannot remember the article. It was around the time Google released Buzz and I think it was he who hinted that how the users got it wrong. Am I wrong to think that it was him who said that?

No, but I also don't disagree with him. He was right for the most part. More importantly, nothing has been done to fix the problem. Everyone blamed Google, but few people have actually attempted to fix the problem of privacy, or even offer up solutions.

At the end of the day, Google has done more good for privacy then all the users screaming at them.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#35

Post by buro9 »

nopal wrote: post #15

From a site owner's perspective, I don't like this. It's always been possible for a site owner to track certain things via access logs, I think Google should still allow for those basic metrics to be tracked via Google Analytics. While it's still possible to track site usage via logs, I don't think Google should give end users a way to bypass the wishes of a site owner. If someone is using my site, I believe I have t…

Google Analytics and any JavaScript based analytics can only ever be regarded as indicative.

If you think it measures your whole audience you're wrong. People might not finish load the page for example. Or they've ad-blocked the ga.js. Or they are using NoScript. Or they're using an accessibility layer.

It may be the majority of your audience, but I'm fairly sure that even with this add-on/extension that GA will still remain a good indicator of your audience size and your audience habits. That hasn't changed.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#36

Post by ErrantX »

akkartik wrote: post #17

Waaiitaminute.. if I want to opt out from your information-gathering program I have to install something on my computer and constantly run it in perpetuity? I can't wait until mailing lists try this: "To unsubscribe from our list, please send email every 24 hours to keepunsubscribingme@___.com. Here's a webapp to join to simplify the process." or "Would you like Sears to stop sending these coupons to your house? Plea…

if I want to opt out from your information-gathering program I have to install something on my computer

Actually I think this is the preferred approach.

Obviously an opt-in service (where you have to agree to web analytics) is a UX nightmare and a non starter. We can't expect that of them.

So that really only leaves a cookie; which is easy to delete or lose accidentally turning on analytics again.

A browser plugin is best because:

a) people can see & audit what code is being run

b) there is positive assurance of the opt out

c) you don't accidentally lose the opt out (and thus Google avoids the eventual "angry blog post" associated with that :P)

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#37

Post by nopal »

buro9 wrote: post #35
nopal wrote: post #15

From a site owner's perspective, I don't like this. It's always been possible for a site owner to track certain things via access logs, I think Google should still allow for those basic metrics to be tracked via Google Analytics. While it's still possible to track site usage via logs, I don't think Google should give end users a way to bypass the wishes of a site owner. If someone is using my site, I believe I have t…

Google Analytics and any JavaScript based analytics can only ever be regarded as indicative. If you think it measures your whole audience you're wrong. People might not finish load the page for example. Or they've ad-blocked the ga.js. Or they are using NoScript. Or they're using an accessibility layer. It may be the majority of your audience, but I'm fairly sure that even with this add-on/extension that GA will stil…

I definitely don't think it measures my whole audience. I've just been comfortable with what I perceive as the size of the audience that I'm not measuring.

I think the release of an easy-to-use, official plug-in at a time when people are up in arms over privacy could lead to less accurate statistics.

It's too early to tell whether this plug-in will have a large effect of not. If it is talked about in the right places, it definitely could.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#38

Post by jeffreyt »

nopal wrote: post #15

From a site owner's perspective, I don't like this. It's always been possible for a site owner to track certain things via access logs, I think Google should still allow for those basic metrics to be tracked via Google Analytics. While it's still possible to track site usage via logs, I don't think Google should give end users a way to bypass the wishes of a site owner. If someone is using my site, I believe I have t…

Client-side javascript-based analytics never were, and never will be foolproof.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#39

Post by stanleydrew »

grinich wrote: post #24
not_an_alien wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just disable Javascript, case closed.

How many people actually disable Javascript in their browser? I'm curious, because I find it essential to do almost anything online nowadays. Even voting on HN uses ajax.

I use Chrome's built-in javascript blocking. It's simple and gets the job done. Best of all, my whitelist is synced across all my Chrome instances, including fresh installs.

Re: Google Analytics opt-out browser extension

#40

Post by txxxxd »

ct4ul4u wrote: post #30

I'd really like cookie sequestration to be a standard browser feature. By sequestered, I mean that cookies be bound to the domain in the address bar as well as the URL they are served from. So I would have different versions of the Google analytics cookie for every domain I visited.

GA already works that way.
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