Is Google Analytics GDPR-Compliant?

Is Google Analytics GDPR-Compliant?

Google Analytics and its mother company Google have been on the radar of some of the most popular European privacy activists and regulators for a long time.

The regulators are now focusing on Google Analytics and other Google products to see if they comply with the European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The concern is that Google Analytics tracks personally identifiable information (PII) of website visitors without their explicit consent.

This information includes things like the visitor’s IP address, geographic location, what device they are using, and what pages on the website they visit. Although Google Analytics anonymizes this information, it can still be used to identify an individual.

So, is Google Analytics GDPR-compliant? Here is everything you need to know.

How Does Google Analytics Work?

Google Analytics works in a relatively simple way. Typically, you register your site with the platform, then paste a universal tracking code into the source code of your website.

The code enables Google Analytics to collect data about visitors to your site, then send that data back to the platform where it is processed and stored.

The information collected helps the Google Analytics server identify the specific pages viewed, links clicked on, and how long the visitor spends on your site.

The information is further used to generate reports showing how many people visited your site, what pages they viewed, and page sessions.

The platform uses different types of first-party cookies to collect this data. First-party cookies are created by the website you are visiting and can only be read by that site.

What Type of Data Does Google Analytics Collect?

Google Analytics collects two types of data: Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and non-personally identifiable information (non-PII).

Personally identifiable information is any data that could be used to identify a person. This includes names, email addresses, physical addresses, and phone numbers.

Non-personally identifiable information is data that cannot be used to identify a person. This includes gender, age range, interests, and general location (city or state).

Google Analytics collects both types of data when someone visits a website that has the platform’s tracking code installed.

The PII data is collected through Google’s various products, like Gmail, AdWords, and YouTube. This data is then linked to the individual’s Google Analytics account.

The non-PII data is collected through the tracking code installed on the website. This data is anonymous and cannot be linked to a person.

What Are The European Union’s GDPR Requirements?

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect on May 25, 2018. The regulation requires companies that collect, process, or store the personal data of EU citizens to get explicit consent from the individual before collecting their data.

The GDPR also requires companies to provide individuals with clear and concise information about their rights under the GDPR, including the right to access their personal data, the right to have their data erased, and the right to object to the processing of their personal data.

Additionally, the GDPR requires companies to take steps to protect the personal data they collect from accidental or unauthorized access, destruction, alteration, or unauthorized use.

So, How Does This Affect Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is subject to the GDPR because it collects the personal data of EU citizens. However, the platform is GDPR-compliant as long as website owners take the necessary steps to get explicit consent from visitors before collecting their data.

Additionally, website owners using Google Analytics must provide visitors with clear and concise information about their rights under the GDPR, how their data will be used, and how to exercise their rights.

Finally, website owners must take steps to protect the personal data collected through Google Analytics from accidental or unauthorized access, destruction, alteration, or unauthorized use.

Summing It Up

Google Analytics is GDPR-compliant as long as website owners take the necessary steps to get explicit consent from visitors before collecting their data.

Additionally, website owners must provide visitors with clear and concise information about their rights under the GDPR, how their data will be used, and how to exercise their rights.