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Voat Ditches Google Analytics for Locally Hosted Open Source Analytics Platform

posted by takyon on Saturday December 12 2015, @06:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the analyze-this dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

News aggregator site Voat announced their intention to "stop using Google Analytics service, effective immediately." The replacement will be the GPL'd platform Piwik, which will be installed "when time permits," and will be hosted by Voat themselves. The announcement is getting a warm reception; as of 02:22 UTC on December 12, there are over 1100 upvotes for the newspost.

Google Analytics has been notorious for being disrespectful of privacy, from surreptitious geolocation, to downright creepy knee-jerk reconfiguration of website ads to the last visited e-commerce venue, in a desperate attempt to lure window shoppers to a purchase. Despite the existence of a browser add-on released by Google in 2010, those in the know have recommended alternative countermeasures not involving installing Google software, such as a hosts file entry, or installing NoScript to block execution of Javascript from unauthorized websites. However, Voat's approach seems to be a step further: taking ownership of the analytics data itself, and cutting off Google's attempts to monetize the otherwise private data stream between the website and the users it serves.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 12 2015, @07:16AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 12 2015, @07:16AM (#275328)

    Last I heard, it was only used for a brief period for analytics, then removed.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 12 2015, @12:02PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 12 2015, @12:02PM (#275379)

    Why?

    A manager is looking to hook our internal sharepoint up to GA for web stats instead of piwik at our office. I have no words.

    • (Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday December 12 2015, @07:57PM

      by PinkyGigglebrain (4458) on Saturday December 12 2015, @07:57PM (#275490)

      I don't know much about the subject but maybe you could point out that your company would have, and own, data that no one else will. So it would be easier for them to monetize it within whatever market the company is in. And as an added perk you can put a statement on your web site about "respecting your customers privacy" or something like that.

      just my 2yen. Hopefully others with better suggestions will chime in

      --
      "Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."