Privacy concerns about Google Analytics
How much of the ‘googling’ do you do while on the Internet? Every time you sit on your computer, you’ll at least ‘google’ once for something, could be just for the heck of it. There have been sharp concerns about how Google takes care of the surfers’ privacy while searching. Google would always dismiss the privacy concerns, saying that Google stores only that much information as is required for that particular search function at that instance.
The pile of concerns could be adding up one more layer into it- Google Analytics!
It is, again, a free tool by Google that helps website owners understand how visitors find and navigate on their websites. The program reports on aggregate visitor data, which is stored on Google servers. The concerns about Analytics are raised by Austrian professor Hermann Maurer. As per the professor, this information is sent to Google, but Google says it does not collect personally identifiable information which could give it a business advantage. He’s warning internet users that search engine giant Google has more information about them than they realise. He has been studying the search engine since it started in 90’s.
95 per cent of internet users use its network, Google is sitting on a large cushion of information, Maurer says.
Maurer claims that while most internet users know that Google is able to build a profile on them based on their searches, what is not understood is how much information Google holds on organisations and how this knowledge is used, or could be used.
Eight months ago Maurer and his team began examining a software package called Google Analytics. Anyone who runs a server, as most companies do, can install the package free of charge. But Maurer claims that if they don’t study the small print the person installing the software may miss a declaration that the information transferred through the server will be sent to Google. That means any customer using a company’s website which runs Google Analytics is effectively passing details of their search path to Google without knowing.
Maurer surveyed thousands of servers and found 83 per cent had Google Analytics installed. “That means even if you didn’t use gmail or google search, by doing anything on the internet, four out of five servers automatically pass on every conversation a customer has with the server on to Google.”
University students now “search” rather than “research”, “Google” is as much a verb as it is a noun, and people have less need to remember facts when they can easily check them on google through the internet on their mobile phone.
On a lecture tour in New Zealand last week, Maurer also raised questions about the ethics of a company that was controlling the way people see the world.
Maurer stresses that Google’s users need to remember the search engine is a business. He suspects there must be the temptation for Google to accept incentives for information or for ranking a site higher up the hit list.
He cited a case when an American company filed a lawsuit against Google complaining about its ranking, and the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Google, saying it was under no obligation to index every server and could rank them as it wanted.
He also speculates on the possibility of Governments paying Google for information on an opponent, or to block their citizens’ access to servers. “If Google did this they wouldn’t be doing anything illegal. They have this information, they are a company, why not sell it?” Maurer says.
Though Maurer says there is little scope for competition of the same size to take on Google, there are ways of improving the way Google is used.
He and his team of computer science researchers are campaigning Governments to set up screening gateways which would separate the user’s profile from the search engine.
They are also trying to force Google to “unbundle” its services which include Google Mail, Google Earth, Google Documents and the latest browser Google Chrome.
“There’s nothing wrong with it other than they know so much and it gives them an unfair advantage,” Maurer said.
A Google spokesperson dismissed Maurer’s claims, saying commitment to privacy is built into every Google product.
As per the spokerperson:
“Our practices lead the industry, including offering anonymous web browsing and easy-to-understand privacy policies and videos. Professor Maurer’s allegations are based on numerous conspiracy theories and a fundamental misunderstanding of Google’s products and services.”
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“But Maurer claims that if they don’t study the small print the person installing the software may miss a declaration that the information transferred through the server will be sent to Google.”
incorrect: There is no software being installed.
To your point: ” That means any customer using a company’s website which runs Google Analytics is effectively passing details of their search path to Google without knowing.”
I say: SO WHAT?
“Maurer surveyed thousands of servers and found 83 per cent had Google Analytics installed.”
I say: I call Bullsh!t. What’s the source? Nevermind, I’ll google it myself.
To the claim that “four out of five servers automatically pass on every conversation a customer has with the server on to Google.”
I say, Analytics doesn’t capture any “conversation”. Using vague terms like this to scare your audience results only in the loss of your credibility.
To rebut Stephan:
“incorrect: There is no software being installed.”
Pasting Google Analytics JavaScript code on every page of your web site is installing software. The software is then run on every single browser that visits your site. So, um, I disagree, it is software.
“I say: SO WHAT?”
How about we do this: Every magazine article, library book, newspaper article, letter, and correspondence that you read, write or receive is visible and can also be read by Google. Not only that, they also know when, and to a varying degree where you are accessing that information.
The irony is that today, that is true for the digital realm, if you use Gmail. Is that OK? How about if it’s the government watching all of that?
Re: 83% of sites are tracked by Google
“I say: I call Bullsh!t. What’s the source? Nevermind, I’ll google it myself.”
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/google-is-top-tracker-of-surfers-in-study/?hp
“I say, Analytics doesn’t capture any conversation. Using vague terms like this to scare your audience results only in the loss of your credibility.”
Analytics captures the user’s page views, clicks, mouse movements, and usually sales information when they purchase something. As well, if 9/10 sites have Google “products” installed (including YouTube, AdWords, AdSense, Analytics, Urchin, etc), they can create a profile on you easily. From a reading and interactivity viewpoint, it’s a conversation between you and a web site.
Perhaps instead of siding with the 500 pound gorilla, you’d consider what you’re giving away every time you use something which is “free.”
They didn’t net 6 billion dollars last year selling free tools.
They have new products coming out which track your location (Google Latitude), and now intercept every single phone call you receive (Google Voice) and transcribe it. If that doesn’t bring up privacy concerns, I don’t know what will.
I agree with Stephan: You claim that
Re: 83% of sites are tracked by Google
“Maurer surveyed thousands of servers and found 83 per cent had Google Analytics installed. ”
The article you site never said that. The article never states the estimated number of sites that have the Analytics Java script placed in their source code.
Nothing backs your claim.