I am continually surprised when I see something written indicating a fear over using Google Analytics. Many are afraid to let Google have access to data about their website? “What will they be doing with all that data?” is the question often asked.
Insert another metrics company into the sentences above.
Why isn’t there a fear of Statcounter, Performancing Metrics, Mint, Clicktracks, or SiteMeter using website data in unethical ways? Is it simply because Google is a large company that makes them prone to more unethical behavior than a smaller company? Any of the above companies and any size company can be unethical.
Take a company of one: the hacker. We don’t fear the hacker because she or he is big. We fear the hacker because of their reputation and because of the unknown. Hackers have proven in the past to be untrustworthy. Has Google proven itself to be the same? Reputations rise or fall based on a companys actions or non-actions.
I am not a Google conspiracy theorist nor am I a total Google enthusiast. I happen to like Analytics because of the power it gives me for free. If in the future I see them misusing MY data, then I can promptly switch.
[tags]Google, Google Analytics, statistics[/tags]
UPDATE:
Be sure to read three problems with Google Analytics.
About the Author
Paul Flyer loves to research the web and find resources and tools for building, maintaining and promoting websites. Based in Saint Louis, MO, he works in management and spends his free time sharpening his web development and copy writing skills. Feel free to contact Paul with any questions, comments or ideas. He is also available to help you with your own website.
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The reason many are concerned about Google Analytics and not other companies is that Google can use it to increase advertising costs. Other potential issues are what Google may do with the huge profiles they are building on everyone, who else will want that data and what they would do with it. Google shows intentions of becoming a monopoly and any one company having too much power in our lives is never a good thing.