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Discussion on: Web Analytics for pet projects

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tovare profile image
tovare

Google analytics without cookies

Hi, you can disable cookie-tracking in Google Analytics, you can find docs on how here: developers.google.com/analytics/de...

If you need to tie multiple pages/user-events together generate a random session ID and keep it in session storage or for a SPA in a global javascript-variable it will be kept in memory and deleted when they leave your domain, as such no tracking is stored on the user's computer (it is a lot more restrictive since it is the same origin only).

Also, remember to anonymized IP addresses and filter out any URL-variance which might be a privacy risk, in addition, select the EU-version of GA and don´t turn on data-sharing (The user interface will warn you that you need consent to activate certain features such as demographics and re-marketing). In addition, there is an App+Web analytics property that will let you treat data more like a stream of but with features that will help with measuring both web and app-versions.

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ihucos profile image
ihucos

Yeah, I read that and for me personally that is kind of too fiddly. So by disabling cookies with Google Analytics I still need a way to persis user ids (localStorage is mentioned)? That is how I understand the link posted. From my understanding (what I heard somewhere) the DSGVO it's not so much about cookies but user id based tracking in general.

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tovare profile image
tovare

Yes any form of fingerprinting. Including anything stored on a user, the computer is considered personal information including and perhaps especially creating a user ID that you use to connect with other data without consent.

I agree, It is very fiddly to get right because you need particular care if other collected data could become a privacy risk (Such as hello <> in the page title). But I also feel that it is critical to monitor services at the user-interface level in production, so it is worth the trouble to get right.

I understand anonymous session tracking for the purpose of maintaining a site to be within the law if properly handled, but not well tested in the courts. Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 requires member states to have web statistics on some public services.