Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by yjftsjthsd-h 2 days ago
> Aggregated analytics do,

Good.

> and you can't run a serious website without some kind of analytics.

I don't believe you.

> Preference-storing does as well, despite any reasonable user expecting that, if they set a preference, it will be saved.

IANAL, but I'm given to understand that this is untrue.
1 comments
tempestn 2 days ago
You're right about explicitly set preferences.

What do you see as the harm in website owners using aggregated analytics data to improve their sites?

link
yjftsjthsd-h 2 days ago
Abstract: It's still spying on users.

Practical: Supposedly-aggregated stats have a history of actually being perfectly possible to analyze back into individually identifiable information. Also, it's conveniently the same tech stack in a way that makes it easier to make an actual slippery slope.

link
tempestn 2 days ago
The practical argument I can understand. From the abstract argument though, it sounds like you'd be opposed even if the anonymization could be guaranteed, which I don't understand. Why is it "spying" to try to understand in aggregate how users are using your website? How are you supposed to eg. identify usability problems without this information? And what is the harm to users? (Again, in the abstract case where we leave aside any possibility of individual users being identified.)
link
micromacrofoot 2 days ago
because no one has shown an anonymization guarantee yet
link