Wsj On Privacy: Is It Really That Scary?

A WSJ series about data privacy is causing quite a stir in analytics circles. In general, the articles are accurate. For instance, flash cookies are very difficult to get rid of, and we advise our clients to steer clear of them.

But all the scary language is a bit too provocative for our taste. The series is entitled “What They Know,” as if some sinister entity is out there ominously collecting our data in order to commit mass identity theft. The articles make claims that “your secrets” are fast becoming common (and lucrative) knowledge for Web marketers. Again, it sounds ominous, but most sites track what you do, not who you are. There’s a big difference.

As you read the series (and it’s worth reading), it’s important to remember a few things:

* Privacy issues are a perennial in the industry. We’ve been in Web analytics for a dozen years, and the concerns were present in the early days and have never really gone away.
* Companies concerned about getting bad press regarding privacy issues must be extra diligent. Engage all your partners – ad agencies and networks, software providers, third-party tracking firms – to understand what they’re collecting, how they’re collecting and what they’re doing with it. You should be aware if they’re selling data.
* User expectations for privacy vary widely across the Web. Some may think (like Mark Zuckerberg) privacy is dead. Others may expect total anonymity. Analytics pros should define the right privacy framework to meet those expectations. Then, be 100% transparent with your users about the information you track and what you do with it.
* Ratcheting up your privacy settings to make your site bulletproof for users may hamper your own analytics capability. User data is extremely valuable, if only to help you serve your customers better. That’s the beauty of the Web, and the power of analytics

The bottom line: we advise our clients to keep an eye on the big-picture issues and general public attitudes, understand fully what’s happening on your sites (and your partners’ sites) and strike the right balance between privacy and visibility into site performance based on your unique user base, business goals and analytics platform.

By: Infinitive Analytics

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