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• A Guide to Ethical Web Analytics in 2024

  17 juin 2024, par Erin

  User data is more valuable and sought after than ever. 

  Ninety-four percent of respondents in Cisco’s Data Privacy Benchmark Study said their customers wouldn’t buy from them if their data weren’t protected, with 95% saying privacy was a business imperative. 

  Unfortunately, the data collection practices of most businesses are far from acceptable and often put their customers’ privacy at risk. 

  But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can ethically collect valuable and insightful customer data—you just need the right tools.

  In this article, we show you what an ethical web analytics solution can look like, why Google Analytics is a problem and how you can collect data without risking your customers’ privacy.

  What is ethical web analytics ?

  Ethical web analytics put user privacy first. These platforms prioritise privacy and transparency by only collecting necessary data, avoiding implicit user identification and openly communicating data practices and tracking methods. 

  Ethical tools adhere to data protection laws like GDPR as standard (meaning businesses using these tools never have to worry about fines or disruptions). In other words, ethical web analytics refrain from exploiting and profiting from user behaviour and data. 

  Unfortunately, most traditional data solutions collect as much data as possible without users’ knowledge or consent.

  Why does digital privacy matter ?

  Digital privacy matters because companies have repeatedly proven they will collect and use data for financial gain. It also presents security risks. Unsecured user data can lead to identity theft, cyberattacks and harassment. 

  Big tech companies like Google and Meta are often to blame for all this. These companies collect millions of user data points — like age, gender, income, political beliefs and location. Worse still, they share this information with interested third parties.

  After public outrage over data breaches and other privacy scandals, consumers are taking active steps to disallow tracking where possible. IAPP’s Privacy and Consumer Trust Report finds that 68% of consumers across 19 countries are somewhat or very concerned about their digital privacy. 

  There’s no way around it : companies of all sizes and shapes need to consider how they handle and protect customers’ private information. 

  Why should you use an ethical web analytics tool ?

  When companies use ethical web analytics tools they can build customer trust, boost their brand reputation, improve data security practices and future proof their website tracking solution. 

  Boost brand reputation

  The fallout from a data privacy scandal can be severe. 

  Just look at what happened to Facebook during the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. The eponymous consulting firm harvested 50 million Facebook profiles and used that information to target people with political messages. Due to the instant public backlash, Facebook’s stock tanked, and use of the “delete Facebook” hashtag increased by 423% in the following days.

  That’s because consumers care about data privacy, according to Deloitte’s Connected Consumer Study :

  • Almost 90 percent agree they should be able to view and delete data companies collect 
  • 77 percent want the government to introduce stricter regulations
  • Half feel the benefits they get from online services outweigh data privacy concerns.

  If you can prove you buck the trend by collecting data using ethical methods, it can boost your brand’s reputation. 

  Build trust with customers

  At the same time, collecting data in an ethical way can help you build customer trust. You’ll go a long way to changing consumer perceptions, too. Almost half of consumers don’t like sharing data, and 57% believe companies sell their data. 

  This additional trust should generate a positive ROI for your business. According to Cisco’s Data Privacy Benchmark Study, the average company gains $180 for every $100 they invest in privacy. 

  Improve data security

  According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach report, the average cost of a data breach is nearly $4.5 million. This kind of scenario becomes much less likely when you use an ethical tool that collects less data overall and anonymises the data you do collect. 

  Futureproof your web analytics solution

  The obvious risk of not complying with privacy regulations is a fine — which can be up to €20 million, or 4% of worldwide annual revenue in the case of GDPR.

  It’s not just fines and penalties you risk if you fail to comply with privacy regulations like GDPR. For some companies, especially larger ones, the biggest risk of non-compliance with privacy regulations is the potential sudden need to abandon Google Analytics and switch to an ethical alternative.

  If Data Protection Authorities ban Google Analytics again, as has happened in Austria, France, and other countries, businesses will be forced to drop everything and make an immediate transition to a compliant web analytics solution.

  When an organisation’s entire marketing operation relies on data, migrating to a new solution can be incredibly painful and time-consuming. So, the sooner you switch to an ethical tool, the less of a headache the process will be. 

  The problem with Google Analytics

  Google Analytics (GA) is the most popular analytics platform in the world, but it’s a world away from being an ethical tool. Here’s why :

  You don’t have data ownership

  Google Analytics is attractive to businesses of all sizes because of its price. Everyone loves getting something for free, but there’s still a cost — your and your customers’ data.

  That’s because Google combines the data you collect with information from the millions of other websites it tracks to inform its advertising efforts. It may also use your data to train large language models like Gemini. 

  It has a rocky history with GDPR laws

  Google and EU regulators haven’t always got along. For example, the German Data Protection Authority is investigating 200,000 pending cases against websites using GA. The platform has also been banned and added back to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework several times over the past few years. 

  You can use GA to collect data about EU customers right now, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to do so in the future. 

  It requires a specific setup to remain compliant

  While you can currently use GA in a GDPR-compliant way — owing to its inclusion in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework — you have to set it up in a very specific way. That’s because the platform’s compliance depends on what data you collect, how you inform users and the level of consent you acquire. You’ll still need to include an extensive privacy policy on your website. 

  What does ethical web analytics look like ?

  An ethical web analytics solution should put user privacy first, ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR, give businesses 100% control of the data they collect and be completely transparent about data collection and storage practices. 

  

  100% data ownership

  You don’t fully control customer data when you use Google Analytics. The search giant uses your data for its own advertising purposes and may also use it to train large language models like Gemini. 

  When you choose an ethical web analytics alternative like Matomo, you can ensure you completely own your data.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

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  Respects user privacy

  It’s possible to track and measure user behaviour without collecting personally identifiable information (PII). Just look at the ethical web analytics tools we’ve reviewed below. 

  These platforms respect user privacy and conform to strict privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA by incorporating some or all of the following features :

  • Opt-out mechanisms to let users refuse tracking
  • IP addresses anonymisation and other data anonymisation techniques
  • DoNotTrack options
  • Shorter expiration dates for tracking cookies

  In Matomo’s case, it’s all of the above. Better still, you can check our privacy credentials yourself. Our software’s source code is open source on GitHub and accessible to anyone at any time. 

  Compliant with government regulations

  While Google’s history with data regulations is tumultuous, an ethical web analytics platform should follow even the strictest privacy laws, including GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, LGPD and PECR.

  But why stop there ? Matomo has been approved by the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) as one of the few web analytics tools that French sites can use to collect data without tracking consent. So you don’t need an annoying consent banner popping up on your website anymore. 

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

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  Complete transparency 

  Ethical web analytics tools will be upfront about their data collection practices, whether that’s in the U.S., EU, or on your own private servers. Look for a solution that refrains from collecting personally identifiable information, shows where data is stored, and lets you alter tracking methods to increase privacy even further. 

  Some solutions, like Matomo, will increase transparency further by providing open source software. Anyone can find our source code on GitHub to see exactly how our platform tracks and stores user data. This means our code is regularly examined and reviewed by a community of developers, making it more secure, too.

  Ethical web analytics solutions

  There are several options for an ethical web analytics tool. We list three of the best providers below. 

  Matomo

  Matomo is an open source web analytics tool and privacy-focused Google Analytics alternative used by over one million sites globally. 

  

  Matomo is fully compliant with prominent global privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA, meaning you never have to worry about collecting consent when tracking user behaviour. 

  The data you collect is completely accurate since Matomo doesn’t use data sampling and is 100% yours. We don’t share data with third parties but can prove it. Our product source code is publicly available on GitHub. As a community-led project, you can download and install it yourself for free. 

  With Matomo, you get a full range of web analytics capabilities and behavioural analytics. That includes your standard metrics (think visitors, traffic sources, bounce rates, etc.), advanced features to analyse user behaviour like A/B Testing, Form Analytics, Heatmaps and Session Recordings. 

  Migrating to Matomo is easy. You can even import historical Google Analytics data to generate meaningful insights immediately. 

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Fathom

  Fathom Analytics is a lightweight privacy-focused analytics solution that launched in 2018. It aims to be an easy-to-use Google Analytics alternative that doesn’t compromise privacy. 

  

  Like Matomo, Fathom complies with all major privacy regulations, including GDPR and CCPA. It also provides 100% accurate, unsampled reports and doesn’t share your data with third parties. 

  While Fathom provides fairly comprehensive analytics reports, it doesn’t have some of Matomo’s more advanced features. That includes e-commerce tracking, heatmaps, session recordings, and more. 

  Plausible

  Plausible Analytics is another open source Google Analytics alternative that was built and hosted in the EU. 

  

  Launched in 2019, Plausible is a newer player in the privacy-focused analytics market. Still, its ultra-lightweight script makes it an attractive option for organisations that prioritise speed over everything else. 

  Like Matomo and Fathom, Plausible is GDPR and CCPA-compliant by design. Nor is there any cap on the amount of data you collect or any debate over whether the data is accurate (Plausible doesn’t use data sampling) or who owns the data (you do). 

  Matomo makes it easy to migrate to an ethical web analytics alternative

  There’s no reason to put your users’ privacy at risk, especially when there are so many benefits to choosing an ethical tool. Whether you want to avoid fines, build trust with your customers, or simply know you’re doing the right thing, choosing a privacy-focused, ethical solution like Matomo is taking a massive step in the right direction. 

  Making the switch is easy, too. Matomo is one of the few options that lets you import historical Google Analytics data, so starting from scratch is unnecessary. 

  Get started today by trying Matomo for free for 21-days. No credit card required. 

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

  Your email address
  

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  Choose your analytics subdomain
  

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  I accept the terms and conditions and data processing agreement (DPA)

  
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• libavcodec/alpha : remove DSP & support code

  9 juin 2024, par Sean McGovern

  libavcodec/alpha : remove DSP & support code
  Introduced in 1992, the Alpha was a 64-bit RISC processor designed
  
  to replace the VAX CISC machines sold by Digital Equipment Corporation.
  After Digital was acquired by Compaq in 1998 — who themselves would be
  
  later purchased by Hewlett-Packard, the architecture was phased out over
  
  the following decade. It became effectively defunct in 2007, the last
  
  publicly available processor being the Alpha 21364.
  FFmpeg has not added any DSP code for this architecture since lowres2
  
  was introduced in 2012, and it is more than unlikely someone still wishes
  
  to maintain it.
  Remove the DSP and support code.
  Signed-off-by : Vittorio Giovara <vittorio.giovara@gmail.com>
  

  • [DH] Changelog
  • [DH] configure
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/Makefile
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/asm.h
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/blockdsp_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/hpeldsp_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/hpeldsp_alpha.h
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/hpeldsp_alpha_asm.S
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/idctdsp_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/idctdsp_alpha.h
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/idctdsp_alpha_asm.S
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/me_cmp_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/me_cmp_mvi_asm.S
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/mpegvideo_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/pixblockdsp_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/regdef.h
  • [DH] libavcodec/alpha/simple_idct_alpha.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/blockdsp.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/hpeldsp.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/idctdsp.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/me_cmp.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/mpegvideo.c
  • [DH] libavcodec/pixblockdsp.c

• GA360 vs GA4 : Key Differences and Challenges

  20 mai 2024, par Erin

  While the standard Universal Analytics (UA) was sunset for free users in July 2023, Google Analytics 360 (GA360) users could postpone the switch to GA4 for another 12 months. But time is running out. As July is rapidly approaching, GA360 customers need to prepare for the switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or another solution. 

  This comparison post will help you understand the differences between GA360 vs. GA4. We’ll dive beneath the surface, examining each solution’s privacy implications and their usability, features, new metrics and measurement methods.

  What is Google Analytics 4 (Standard) ?

  GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics, succeeding Universal Analytics. It was designed to address privacy issues with Universal Analytics, which made compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR difficult.

  It completely replaced Universal Analytics for free users in July 2023. GA4 Standard features many differences from the original UA, including :

  • Tracking and analysis are now events-based.
  • Insights are primarily powered by machine learning. (There are fewer reports and manual analysis tools).
  • Many users find the user interface to be too complex compared to Universal Analytics.

  The new tracking, reports and metrics already make GA4 feel like a completely different web analytics platform. The user interface itself also includes notable changes in navigation and implementation. These changes make the transition hard for experienced analysts and digital marketers alike. 

  For a more in-depth look at the differences, read our comparison of Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics.

  What is Google Analytics 360

  Google Analytics 360 is a paid version of Google Analytics, mostly aimed at enterprises that need to analyse a large amount of data.

  It significantly increases standard limits on data collection, sampling and processing. It also improves data granularity with more custom events and dimensions.

  Transitioning from Universal Analytics 360 to GA4 360

  You may still use the Universal Analytics tag and interface if you’ve been a Google Analytics 360 customer for multiple years. However, access to Universal Analytics 360 will be discontinued on July 1, 2024. Unlike the initial UA sunset (free version), you won’t be able to access the interface or your data after that, so it will be deleted.

  That means you will have to adapt to the new GA4 user interface, reports and metrics before the sunset or find an alternative solution.

  What is the difference between GA4 360 and free GA4 ?

  The key differences between GA4 360 and free GA4 are higher data limits, enterprise support, uptime guarantees and more robust administrative controls.

  

  GA4 offers most of the same features across the paid and free versions, but there are certain limits on data sampling, data processing and integrations. With the free version, you also can’t define as detailed events using event parameters as you can with GA4 360.

  Higher data collection, accuracy, storage and processing limits

  The biggest difference that GA4 360 brings to the table is more oomph in data collection, accuracy and analysis.

  You can collect more specific data (with 100 event parameters instead of 25 for custom metrics). GA4 360 lets you divide users using more custom dimensions based on events or user characteristics. Instead of 50 per property, you get up to 125 per property.

  And with up to 400 custom audiences, 360 is better for companies that heavily segment their users. More audiences, events and metrics per property mean more detailed insights.

  Sampling limits are also of a completely different scale. The max sample size in GA4 360 is 100x the free version of GA4, with up to 1 billion events per query. This makes analysis a lot more accurate for high-volume users. A slice of 10 million events is hardly representative if you have 200 million monthly events.

  Finally, GA4 360 lets you store all of that data for longer (up to 50 months vs up to 14 months). While new privacy regulations demand that you store user data only for the shortest time possible, website analytics data is often used for year-over-year analysis.

  Enterprise-grade support and uptime guarantees

  Because GA360 users are generally enterprises, Google offers service-level agreements for uptime and technical support response times.

  • Tracking : 99.9% uptime guarantee
  • Reporting : 99% uptime guarantee
  • Data processing : within 4 hours at a 98% uptime guarantee

  The free version of GA4 includes no such guarantees and limited access to professional support in the first place.

  Integrations

  GA4 360 increases limits for BigQuery and Google Ads Manager exports.

  

  The standard limits in the free version are 1 million events per day to BigQuery. In GA4 360, this is increased to billions of events per day. You also get up to 400 audiences for Search Ads 360 instead of the 100 limit in standard GA4.

  Roll-up analytics for agencies and enterprises

  If you manage a wide range of digital properties, checking each one separately isn’t very effective. You can export the data into a tool like Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio), but this requires extra work.

  With GA360, you can create “roll-up properties” to analyse data from multiple properties in the same space. It’s the best way to analyse larger trends and patterns across sites and apps.

  Administration and user access controls

  Beyond roll-up reporting, the other unique “advanced features” found in GA360 are related to administration and user access controls.

  

  First, GA360 lets you create custom user roles, giving different access levels to different properties. Sub-properties and roll-up properties are also useful tools for data governance purposes. They make it easier to limit access for specific analysts to the area they’re directly working on.

  You can also design custom reports for specific roles and employees based on their access levels.

  Pricing 

  While GA4 is free, Google Analytics 360 is priced based on your traffic volume. 

  With the introduction of GA4, Google implemented a revised pricing model. For GA4 360, pricing typically begins at USD $50,000/year which covers up to 25 million events per month. Beyond this limit, costs increase based on data usage, scaling accordingly.

  What’s not different : the interface, metrics, reports and basic features

  GA4 360 is the same analytics tool as the free version of GA4, with higher usage limits and a few enterprise features. You get more advanced tracking capabilities and more accurate analysis in the same GA4 packaging.

  If you already use and love GA4 but need to process more data, that’s great news. But if you’re using UA 360 and are hesitant to switch to the new interface, not so much. 

  Making the transition from UA to GA4 isn’t easy. Transferring the data means you need to figure out how to work with the API or use Google BigQuery.

  Plus, you have to deal with new metrics, reports and a new interface. For example, you don’t get to keep your custom funnel reports. You need to use “funnel explorations.”

  Going from UA to GA4 can feel like starting from scratch in a completely new web analytics tool.

  Which version of Google Analytics 4 is right for you ?

  Standard GA4 is a cost-effective web analytics option, but it’s not without its problems :

  • If you’re used to the UA interface, it feels clunky and difficult to analyse.
  • Data sampling is prevalent in the free version, leading to inaccuracies that can negatively affect decision-making and performance.

  And that’s just scratching the surface of common GA4 issues.

  Google Analytics 4 360 is a more reliable web analytics solution for enterprises. However, it suffers from many issues that made the GA4 transition painful for many free UA users last year.

  • You need to rebuild reports and adjust to the new complex interface.
  • To transfer historical data, you must use spreadsheets, the API, or BigQuery.

  You will still lose some of the data due to changes to the metrics and reporting.

  What if neither option is right for you ? Key considerations for choosing a Google Analytics alternative

  Despite what Google would like you to think, GA4 isn’t the only option for website analytics in 2024 — far from it. For companies that are used to UA 360, the right alternative can offer unique benefits to your company.

  Privacy regulations and future-proofing your analytics and marketing

  Although less flagrant than UA, GA4 is still in murky waters regarding compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations. 

  And the issue isn’t just that you can get fined (which is bad enough). As part of a ruling, you may be ordered to change your analytics platform and protocol, which can completely disrupt your marketing workflow.

  When most marketing teams rely on web analytics to judge the ROI of their campaigns, this can be catastrophic. You may even have to pause campaigns as your team makes the adjustments.

  Avoid this risk completely by going with a privacy-friendly alternative.

  Features beyond basic web analytics

  To understand your users, you need to look at more than just events and conversions.

  That’s why some web analytics solutions have built-in behavioural analytics tools. Features like heatmaps (a visual pattern of popular clicks, scrolling and cursor movement) can help you understand how users interact with specific pages.

  

  Matomo allows you to consolidate behavioural analytics and regular web analytics into a single platform. You don’t need separate tools and subscriptions for heatmaps, session recordings, from analytics, media analytics and A/B testing. You can do all of this with Matomo.

  With insights about visits, sales, conversions, and usability in the same place, it’s a lot easier to improve your website.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Usability and familiar metrics

  The move to event tracking means new metrics, reports and tools. So, if you’re used to Universal Analytics, it can be tricky to transition to GA4. 

  But there’s no need to start from zero, learning to work with a brand-new interface. Many competing web analytics platforms offer familiar reports and metrics — ones your team has gotten used to. This will help you speed up the time to value with a shorter learning curve.

  Why Matomo is a better option than GA4 360 for UA 360 users

  Matomo offers privacy-friendly tracking, built from the ground up to comply with regulations — including IP anonymisation and DoNotTrack settings. You also get 100% ownership of the data, which means we will never use your data for our own profit (unlike Google and other data giants).

  This is a big deal, as breaking GDPR rules can lead to fines of up to 4% of your annual revenue. At the same time, you’ll also future-proof your marketing workflow by choosing a web analytics provider built with privacy regulations in mind.

  Plus, for legacy UA 360 users, the Matomo interface will also feel a lot more intuitive and familiar. Matomo also provides marketing attribution models you know, like first click, which GA4 has removed.

  Finally, you can access various behavioural analytics tools in a single platform — heatmaps, session recordings, form analytics, A/B testing and more. That means you don’t need to pay for separate solutions for conversion rate optimisation efforts.

  And the transition is smooth. Matomo lets you import Universal Analytics data and offers ready-made Google Ads integration and Looker Studio Connector.

  Join over 1 million websites that choose Matomo as their web analytics solution. Try it free for a 21-days. No credit card required.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

  Your email address
  

  Your website address
  

  Your Analytics subdomain will be .matomo.cloud (change)

  Choose your analytics subdomain
  

  .matomo.cloud

  I accept the terms and conditions and data processing agreement (DPA)

  
  Your information will be used to create an account on our cloud service. For more information please consult our privacy policy.
  
  
  

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