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We ditched Google Analytics for good


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2020 Jun 1, 8:53am   413 views  3 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (55)   💰tip   ignore  

https://missiveapp.com/blog/privacy-first-analytics

How to run analytics without a consent banner? It is simple; don't use cookies nor collect personal information.

Frankly, the amount of information our devices give away is scary. Amongst other places, it ends up in the dashboard of a company's analytics app. For product people like us, many of these data points turn out to be irrelevant when making important product or marketing decisions anyway.

Even Google's Head of Insights & Analytics, Janneke van Geuns, said that "The biggest misconception is the perceived need to capture and measure everything and anything." "A common belief is that if you capture every type of metric, it will tell you magically what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, that is not how we get to insights, and would be comparable to having to find a needle in a haystack."

So, not only does harvesting data without intent can invade your users' privacy, but it can make your work more challenging. Keep it simple they say!


Google Analytics is not only spyware, it turns over control of your site to Google. 3rd party javascript can read or change anything on the page. And shut you down at any time.

Comments 1 - 3 of 3        Search these comments

1   SunnyvaleCA   2020 Jun 1, 1:36pm  

I generally run Ghostry to block this type of javascript. Hmm... I see that Ghostry has blocked exactly ZERO scripts on Patric.net (because Patric doesn't use tracking scripts). Yay!
2   Patrick   2020 Jun 1, 10:25pm  

Right, the only privacy invading thing on this site is YouTube videos, which are owned by Google and do leak info about you to them when you view them, or even just by being on the page.

But what to do about the near-monopoly they have on videos? Don't have them on this site? They will absolutely sue if you copy them.
3   Patrick   2020 Jun 18, 7:47am  

More alternatives to Google Analytics spyware:

https://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/822568/61d29096a4012e06/

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