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Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

plausible.io

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Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#101

Post by happybuy »

anon9001 wrote: post #66
happybuy wrote: post #27

As a developer of an ad blocker[1] our stats would seem to back up what Plausible has found: - Despite having equivalent desktop (macOS) and mobile (iOS) apps, most of our users (> 75%) use the app primarily on desktop - Most users say the key reason for use is for privacy protection; even with Safari providing some inbuilt privacy tracking protection - Our app is focused on providing a simple 'set and forget' ad blo…

How do you collect your analytics?

On our website we have no analytics or trackers installed at all. The app usage statistics come via the Apple App Store. App Store users can opt out of these stats via an OS-level setting.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#102

Post by hkai »

happybuy wrote: post #27

As a developer of an ad blocker[1] our stats would seem to back up what Plausible has found: - Despite having equivalent desktop (macOS) and mobile (iOS) apps, most of our users (> 75%) use the app primarily on desktop - Most users say the key reason for use is for privacy protection; even with Safari providing some inbuilt privacy tracking protection - Our app is focused on providing a simple 'set and forget' ad blo…

Why is it important to have "privacy" from someone selling me a new video streaming service, but not important to fight against censorship and policing of content by tech giants?

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#103

Post by turbinerneiter »

hkai wrote: post #97
turbinerneiter wrote: post #15

There is a German movie about the system that is used to gather TV ratings. It's a special box that some users get which reports what they are watching. Small sample size goes into a big statistic (not sure how accurate the portrayal of the system in the movie is). These boxes are given to the people who pay the German public TV fee, which excludes i.e. students (they don't have to pay) and some other groups. This gr…

I can't quite understand this. By "exploiting" you simply mean targeting ads? The real harm seems to be from the tech giants censoring speech and policing payments, but what's the harm that someone targets a pair of shorts that I might like or show an ad for a conference I might be interested in?

I.e. ads, facebooks feed, endless scrollers like 9gag -> they like to use dark patterns and exploit tricks against the human mind to keep and guide your attention.

The harm if targeted ads depends on your viewpoint.

A targeted ad might serve you something you were looking for anyway, or it might manipulate you into spending on something you don't actually need. I.e. look at Instagram influencers, showing off their fake perfect live, making the viewer feel small and then try to buy the same happiness by buying the same product.

At best, ads are information that you need, at worst, they use psychology to manipulate you.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#104

Post by hkai »

GekkePrutser wrote: post #35

This is good to hear. I didn't think the percentages would be that high. "Data driven design" is kinda overrated anyway. It's better to actually listen to your users. Stats don't show what people think, and they're often tweaked to show what people want to see.

[flagged]

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#106

Post by Mindwipe »

deergomoo wrote: post #93
thinkingemote wrote: post #58

One of the reasons for mobile apps is that adblocking is disabled. Explains why Reddit promotes it so much. Similarly, wrapping websites like Discord or Slack in Electron also gives the website owners full telemetry and tracking that they can't get in a tech savvy browser. Would an always on VPN, a remote pihole be the only way for privacy?

> Explains why Reddit promotes it so much It must be very disheartening to work on reddit's mobile site. Not only is it deliberately made a miserable experience by forcing you through AMP via Google and insisting you "continue in browser" every time, but then you're greeted with a banner that outright says "this page is better in the app".

> It must be very disheartening to work on reddit's mobile site.

You can probably cross "mobile" out of this entirely.

Reddit have spent three years now building sites that are worse in every way than the decade old junker it's trying to replace.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#107

Post by hkai »

turbinerneiter wrote: post #103
hkai wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't quite understand this. By "exploiting" you simply mean targeting ads? The real harm seems to be from the tech giants censoring speech and policing payments, but what's the harm that someone targets a pair of shorts that I might like or show an ad for a conference I might be interested in?

I.e. ads, facebooks feed, endless scrollers like 9gag -> they like to use dark patterns and exploit tricks against the human mind to keep and guide your attention. The harm if targeted ads depends on your viewpoint. A targeted ad might serve you something you were looking for anyway, or it might manipulate you into spending on something you don't actually need. I.e. look at Instagram influencers, showing off their fa…

Seriously, you're worried about someone spending more time on their phone or spending more money on goods and services? Spending their own money — not the public money? That's what freedom is to you? Not the freedom to talk to whoever you want, say whatever you want or pay whoever you want?

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#108

Post by ushakov »

ponytech wrote: post #22

This article clearly suggests that you should use their own solution, Plausible Analytics. They are also JavaScript based, so how long before ad-blockers start blocking them too? Isn't it time to come back to server side analytics?

you can serve the script from your own server (what they call proxy) and it shouldn’t be noticed by adblockers

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#110

Post by dgudkov »

It amazes me that over the last 10-20 years an astonishing amount of money and intellectual capital have been invested in adtech and crypto but nothing in micropayments. Ads are evil, but it will remain a moot point until we have working micropayments. We have (and will have) ads with all their downsides exactly because we don't have micropayments, because ads basically work as a substitute to micropayments.
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