Hi All,

We have been hearing a lot about GA and privacy recently (see for
example here
http://www.applied-insights.co.uk/news/2006/10/04/blogchat-with-john-marshall/
and here
http://www.ga-experts.co.uk/blog/2006/10/google-analytics-privacy.htm.)

We wanted to open this debate up to a wider analytics audience - the
readers of this group are amongst the most well-informed analytics
experts in the business, so perhaps we should be looking at how the
web analytics sector as a whole handles the privacy issue. Some
questions to consider:

* - What is the truth about how Google Analytics and other vendors
handle end-user privacy issues (not just the concerns of their clients)?

* - What public commitments have WA vendors made to data privacy?

* - What data should be private, e.g. IP addresses, session id's,
registration details?

* - Are there any proven cases of vendors crossing the privacy line
(wherever that might be)?

* - Is there an opportunity for a WAA Code of Conduct or similar?
This could also address the concerns over cookies that have been
mentioned previously in this forum. The WAA have some data on privacy
(http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org/en/cms/?28) but there's
nothing like a nice 'Your Data is Certified Private' icon to reassure
site visitors & WA users....

I'm sure we could all benefit from an open and informed dialogue on
web analytics and privacy.

Jim Newsome
_______________________________________
http://www.ga-experts.co.uk/?utm_id=7
Google Analytics Authorised Consultants