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Web analyst here, not Google employee although I put bread on the table with GA.

I am reasonably confident that Google does not dip into GA data for its own purposes, unless you go out of your way to enable Advertising Features. Google disclaims ownership and controller-ship of the data collected by GA. This is a contract to its users, as well as the cornerstone of Google's plan to not get fined into the mantle of the earth via GDPR.

There are valid reasons to avoid Google Analytics, including privacy ones. But the idea that Google uses GA data for profiling is overblown (again, aside from Advertising Features, which establishes a connection between GA data and advertising data). It has plenty of other sources for personal browsing data, and those other sources are more reliable.

And since this always comes up: Google gives GA away for free because it's a strategic compliment to online advertising. If people can see how much ROI they get from AdWords, they spend more on AdWords. It's that simple. Google does not need to dip into the GA data in order to see a massive return.



I hear you loud and clear. I'm still not willing to risk it though. I had people calling me crazy when I started complaining-out-loud that Facebook was asking for my phone number "for account recovery reasons." Of course the word of Facebook is sacred!

Crazy like a fox [1][2].

1. https://www.extremetech.com/internet/286897-facebook-uses-2f...

2. https://bgr.com/2019/03/04/facebook-2fa-phone-numbers-securi...


> I am reasonably confident that Google does not dip into GA data for its own purposes

I'm glad that you're reasonably confident (you're even confident enough that you're willing to expose your users to it without their consent!)

I don't share your confidence even a little.




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