Hi all
I know I no longer look after a museum site..
…but to me the dangerous thing would be for everyone to assume that the law is going to go through and remove GA pre-emptively.
The previous email I sent (http://bit.ly/zPSjP9) points to a bit in the ICO guidance which distinguishes between the "in theory" and "in practice" scenarios. In pretty plain language, they say presenting to users why cookies are useful and "taking what steps you can to seek their agreement" is an ok approach. They then follow this with "Provided clear information is given about their activities we are highly unlikely to prioritise first party cookies used only for analytical purposes in any consideration of regulatory action.".
Given most people I speak to seem to think that it is unlikely that this law will hold up once / if it actually launches, I'd suggest it would be better to have a contingency plan which remains on the backburner in case it does, rather than turning off GA in advance.
Again though, I'd really like it if someone - a group of influential (national) museums ** COUGH, BM et al, COUGH ** got a co-signed missive off to DCMS and ICO pointing out that user web analytics are one of the most valuable things the sector has, especially given DCMS still (I assume) asks for these same metrics in order to help determine funding allocation… We're unlikely to get 100,000 signatures on an e-petition, obviously, but something from all the digital heads of museums across the country would presumably have some sway..?
cheers
Mike
_____________________________
Mike Ellis
We do nice web stuff: http://thirty8.co.uk (http://thirty8.co.uk/)
** I've written a book: http://heritageweb.co.uk (http://heritageweb.co.uk/) **
On Monday, 23 January 2012 at 17:24, HARRIS TONY wrote:
> Matthew, I agree, I'm pretty concerned about the potential demise of GA. Here's some thoughts from the Government Digital Service on cookies, it looks like the UK Government is only going to have a plan A.
>
> http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2012/01/12/cookies-on-the-beta/
>
> Regards
>
> Tony Harris
>
> New Media Officer & Photographer
> Government Art Collection
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matthew Cock
> Sent: 23 January 2012 17:00
> To: [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])
> Subject: Re: Cookies legislation: what are you doing?
>
> Thanks Tim,
>
> But what if 25% or 75% of people opt out. Doesnt that mean it's pointless using GA?
> Also, the first page you serve (when you ask if they are happy for cookies to be used) will have to be GA-free, so your GA tracking will miss the first page of every visit to the site?
> To me that suggests that - unless you are not going to offer an opt-out
> - there's no practical future for GA.
>
> Matthew
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Trent
> Sent: 23 January 2012 15:04
> To: [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])
> Subject: Re: Cookies legislation: what are you doing?
>
> Surely Log File interpretation is also a minor intrusion into privacy, for plan B?
>
> Our Plan A is to mimic the ICO's web site with their use of GA.
>
> On 23 Jan 2012, at 14:48, Matthew Cock wrote:
>
> > Dear MCG'ers,
> >
> >
> >
> > Please don't groan, but I'm resurrecting the thread Cookies and the
> > legislation that could start to get serious for website owners at the
> > end of May.
> >
> > We're auditing our use of cookies, and deciding what we need to do for
> > each one, and while we may not make the final decision until close to
> > the deadline, I have a Plan A and Plan B in mind which I'm sharing
> >
>
> round
> > the Museum, particularly the legal team.
> >
> >
> >
> > I wanted to get a sense from others what their plan A and plan B was,
> > particularly with regard to Google Analytics, for those who use it.
> >
> >
> >
> > There is a sense from the ICO guidelines that we could probably keep
> GA
> > as it is unlikely to be a priority for them to prosecute people for
>
> it,
> > but I'm still trying to decide if can we keep it without offering an
> > opt-out, whether actively acquired, or using the old-fashioned 'buried
> > within privacy page' method. Because, obviously, keeping Google
> > Analytics with a proportion of opt-outs renders it pretty useless as a
> > tool, and we may as well jump back into log-file analysis (which
> > meanwhile we're looking at as Plan B in case it comes to that).
> >
> >
> >
> > I don't want to bore the list with another discussion about
> > interpretation of the legislation or the ICO Guidelines, I want to
> >
>
> know
> > whether anyone has decided what they are going to do!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Matthew
> >
> >
> >
> > Head of Web
> >
> > Department of Learning, Volunteers and Audiences
> >
> > British Museum
> >
> >
> >
> > w: +44 (0)20 7323 8169
> >
> > work m: 07971 433841
> >
> > [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])
> >
> > @matthewcock
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Grayson Perry: The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman Until 19 February
> > 2012
> >
> > Book tickets
> > www.britishmuseum.org (http://www.britishmuseum.org)
> >
> > Become a member
> > www.britishmuseum.org/membership (http://www.britishmuseum.org/membership)
> >
> > Connect with the British Museum online www.facebook.com/britishmuseum (http://www.facebook.com/britishmuseum)
> > www.twitter.com/britishmuseum (http://www.twitter.com/britishmuseum) www.youtube.com/britishmuseum (http://www.youtube.com/britishmuseum)
> >
> >
> > ****************************************************************
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>
>
> Tim Trent - Consultant
> Tel: +44 (0)7710 126618
> web: ComplianceAndPrivacy.com (http://ComplianceAndPrivacy.com) - where busy executives go to find the
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