Google is now tracking your MSE activity

Consumerist

I have noticed today that you are no longer able to post on this site without being tracked by Google. :eek:

This is accomplished by scripts being run on your PC from googleapis.com and if you block them from running then, although you can read this site, you cannot post on it.

See <this thread> for more info.

Martin what are you doing to us?

espresso

Was it really necessary to start another thread on this!

Consumerist

espresso wrote: »

Was it really necessary to start another thread on this!

In the first post I thought I had a problem with my PC; it was an enquiry. In the second post I had realised that MSE posts are probably being tracked by master-spies Google; it was a warning.

Sorry you couldn't see the difference. .

steve1980

It's analytics from Google thats tracking you which shows MSE where people come from

Consumerist

steve1980 wrote: »

It's analytics from Google thats tracking you which shows MSE where people come from

Yes, google-analytics has been there (blocked) for as long as I can remember but there are two new domains that have only just appeared: (1) googleapis.com and (2) chartbeat.com - lord knows what that one does.

I just don't like giving script access to unknown or untrusted sites and, in particular, to the likes of the Google spy-masters.

Paranoia rules ok but I don't get viruses (as far as I know.).

Edit
It would seem that chartbeat.com is another tracking system.

espresso

Consumerist wrote: »

Yes, google-analytics has been there for as long as I can remember but there are two new domains that have only just appeared: (1) googleapis.com and (2) chartbeat.com - lord knows what that one does.

I just don't like giving script access to unknown or untrusted sites and, in particular, to the likes of the Google spy-masters.

Paranoia rules ok but I don't get viruses (as far as I know.).

Edit
It would seem that chartbeat.com is another tracking system.

Sorry but you are wrong about this!

googleapis.com and chartbeat.com have been there for a long long time and definitely did not suddenly appear today.

Consumerist

espresso wrote: »

Sorry but you are wrong about this!
googleapis.com and chartbeat.com have been there for a long long time and definitely did not suddenly appear today.

That's interesting. I've not noticed them before but, until today, haven't really needed to.

This still raises the question of why I can't post today where I could post yesterday without allowing scripts from googleapis.com.

The chartbeat.com domain is blocked but I can still post only if googleapis.com is allowed to run scripts.

Maestro.

if you're that worried about trackers, turn off 3rd party and session cookies - it stops all that in its tracks. With 3rd party cookies off, my browser will only take cookies from the domain I have visited, nothing else.

espresso

Consumerist wrote: »

In the first post I thought I had a problem with my PC; it was an enquiry. In the second post I had realised that MSE posts are probably being tracked by master-spies Google; it was a warning.

You do have a problem with your PC!

Sorry you couldn't see the difference.

Consumerist

espresso wrote: »

You do have a problem with your PC!

Could you explain what that problem is? I'd like to fix it if that's the case.

Consumerist

Maestro. wrote: »

if you're that worried about trackers, turn off 3rd party and session cookies - it stops all that in its tracks. With 3rd party cookies off, my browser will only take cookies from the domain I have visited, nothing else.

I don't think it's a cookies issue.

I would seem that all posts to the MSE forum must now go via googleapis.com. If scripts from googleapis.com are not allowed to run on your PC then your post will not be passed on to the MSE forum.

This is not just a matter of tracking, which is bad enough, but it means Google can monitor and record your posts. Whilst I accept that MSE has given itself this right I'm not so keen about a company renowned for spying has given itself this right (probably now a condition for using MSE)..