EQInterface Forums - View Single Post - Google Analytics-on this site?? are you kidding?

Our sites have been using google analytics and ad serving software for I dont know how long. They use cookies to track if they've shown you an ad or not already.

Google analytic is software used to give us stats about our sites traffic. We could just parse our apache logs for the same info but this does it passively so there is no extra load on our servers. Its also a more trusted source for accurate stats as we need to be able to tell our advertisers what kind of traffic we receive so they can properly buy ads. The only thing it may do again is place a cookie for stats, something your browser allows unless you disable it.

No information stored in your account is shared with google or any advertisers. The most they have is an IP address and a cookie (as the ones you listed) that tells them if you've visited before and any other information your web browsers shares with them like screen resolution, java version, flash version, browser type. Our site also uses cookies to store some of the sorting and browsing options you select, an a cookie with a hash code so vbulletin (our forum) can remember who you are when you come back so you dont have to login every time you visit. The browser only allows the cookie creator to view the information they saved in the cookie so google can not read cookies vbulletin makes and vice versa.

CNET as you mentioned uses comscore as their stats keeper, they are basicly the same thing as google analytics. SOE uses omniture on their eqplayers website. They all report to other 3rd party sites like alexa rankings so webmasters can see and compare their sites traffic.

Our terms of service & privacy statement (link in the footer) should explain this.

If you sign up for a premium account the advertisements go away however we still use google analytics just like any of the large sites to keep stats.

I would suggest to use a Firefox module "No Script" if you do not wish to load these services. Look into the source code of almost any large website and you'll find a 3rd party stats keeper javascript there. No Script will allow you to selectively block these scripts if you wish. You wont want to block all js though as some of its used for basic site navigation.

Lastly as with you and the many others here that take their time to help others in this community I am always grateful. I'm also grateful we are able to provide this site free to every one.

12-21-2009, 08:00 PM	#2
*Dolby* Lord Dolby of Veeshan Join Date: Jul 2002 Server: Veeshan Posts: 2,397	Our sites have been using google analytics and ad serving software for I dont know how long. They use cookies to track if they've shown you an ad or not already. Google analytic is software used to give us stats about our sites traffic. We could just parse our apache logs for the same info but this does it passively so there is no extra load on our servers. Its also a more trusted source for accurate stats as we need to be able to tell our advertisers what kind of traffic we receive so they can properly buy ads. The only thing it may do again is place a cookie for stats, something your browser allows unless you disable it. No information stored in your account is shared with google or any advertisers. The most they have is an IP address and a cookie (as the ones you listed) that tells them if you've visited before and any other information your web browsers shares with them like screen resolution, java version, flash version, browser type. Our site also uses cookies to store some of the sorting and browsing options you select, an a cookie with a hash code so vbulletin (our forum) can remember who you are when you come back so you dont have to login every time you visit. The browser only allows the cookie creator to view the information they saved in the cookie so google can not read cookies vbulletin makes and vice versa. CNET as you mentioned uses comscore as their stats keeper, they are basicly the same thing as google analytics. SOE uses omniture on their eqplayers website. They all report to other 3rd party sites like alexa rankings so webmasters can see and compare their sites traffic. Our terms of service & privacy statement (link in the footer) should explain this. If you sign up for a premium account the advertisements go away however we still use google analytics just like any of the large sites to keep stats. I would suggest to use a Firefox module "No Script" if you do not wish to load these services. Look into the source code of almost any large website and you'll find a 3rd party stats keeper javascript there. No Script will allow you to selectively block these scripts if you wish. You wont want to block all js though as some of its used for basic site navigation. Lastly as with you and the many others here that take their time to help others in this community I am always grateful. I'm also grateful we are able to provide this site free to every one.