Analytics and Privacy

Quintel, Denise F.; Wilson, Robert Thomas

doi:10.6017/ital.v39i3.12219

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…In the case of Sense, we use in-depth metrices that are available in Matomo to obtain data on actual use of the intervention. Matomo is a secure open-source web analytics platform, and adheres to current standards of data protection in line with the European General Data Protection Regulation (Crutzen, Peters, & Mondschein, 2019;Matomo, 2021;Quintel & Wilson, 2020). Matomo provides insight into several metrices (e.g., keywords used to reach certain elements, time spent using these elements, order in which certain elements are used (Ripp & Falke, 2018)), that, when taken together, do not only allow to distinguish between use/non-use, but also give insight into the quality of use (e.g., do visitors of an information page about use of condoms also click on the link to the condom shop and buy condoms?).…”

Section: Combining Intended Use and Actual Use: Web Analyticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating use of web-based interventions: an example of a Dutch sexual health intervention

Metz¹,

Roosjen²,

Zweers³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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With the current increase in web-based interventions, the question of how to measure, and consequently improve engagement in such interventions is gaining more importance. Modern day web analytics tools make it easy to monitor use of web-based interventions. However, in this article, we propose that it would be more meaningful to first examine how the developers envisioned the use of the intervention to establish behavior change (i.e. intended use), before looking into how the intervention is ultimately used with web analytics (i.e. actual use). Such an approach responds to the regularly expressed concern that behavioral interventions are often poorly described, leading to less meaningful evaluations as it is not clear what exactly is being evaluated. Using data from a Dutch sexual health intervention (sense.info), we demonstrate the value of acyclic behavior change diagrams (ABCDs) as a method to visualize intended use of an intervention. ABCDs show at a glance how behavior change principles are applied in an intervention and target determinants of behavior. Based on this ABCD, we look into actual use of the intervention, using the web analytics tool Matomo. This real-life example demonstrates the potential of combining ABCDs and Matomo as methods to gain insight into use of web- based interventions.

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Section: Combining Intended Use and Actual Use: Web Analyticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating use of web-based interventions: an example of a Dutch sexual health intervention

Metz¹,

Roosjen²,

Zweers³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Much of the library-related privacy literature focuses on the importance and adoption of secure Internet communication protocols (e.g. https), the development of privacy policies, and ethical data collection and use, often providing practical tips for librarians who are trying to secure a library's web presence (American Library Association, 2020; Breeding, 2019; Breeding, 2016; Chandler and Wallace, 2016; Nichols Hess et al , 2015; O'Brien et al , 2018; Quintel and Wilson, 2020; Thomchick and San Nicolas-Rocca, 2018). Singley (2020) calls for librarians to widen their perspective of privacy, focusing less on traditional concerns, such as the anonymity of circulation records, and more on those resources provided to the library (or directly to users) by third parties, developing a holistic approach that considers privacy in collection decisions, user authentication, instruction and advocacy efforts on campus.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Privacy concerns and the prevalence of third-party tracking cookies on ARL library homepages

Marino

2021

RSR

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PurposeThe integration of third-party resources on library websites may be inadvertently contributing to surveillance technologies without user knowledge. This study set out to determine the prevalence of third-party tracking cookies on Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member homepages, the entities that are tracking users and for what purpose and what control users have over their cookie preferences.Design/methodology/approachHomepages from the 124 ARL member libraries were visited. Evidence of a privacy or cookie statement was collected and cookie logs were captured. This data were compared against the Disconnect list of known trackers and analyzed to determine the extent to which third-party tracking cookies were used across ARL sites, who was setting the cookies and for what purpose, and whether this use differed with regards to a library's identifying features.FindingsIt was determined that many ARL libraries do contribute to the ability to track a user's activity across the web, with one-third containing third-party tracking cookies. A user's contact with tracking cookies is influenced by various traits defining the institution. Users are given very little control over the cookies logged on their machines.Originality/valueThis study explores library efforts to protect user privacy, adopting an introspective approach that focuses on library websites. It will provide discussion points for librarians to question not only what third-party tracking cookies are present on their sites and why, but also how to educate their users about privacy issues.

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“…Such technologies are deployed in numerous organisations both in the private and public sectors. For public sector organisations in particular, data privacy is an increasing concern at both the level of individuals and organisations, and web analytics technologies can be problematic when addressing privacy concerns (Akkus et al, 2012;Chandler and Wallace, 2016;Persson, 2020;Quintel and Wilson, 2020;Schwab 2019) and legal perspectives with respect to, for example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Article 35 (EU, 2016), the CLOUD Act (USC, 2018), and the recent Schrems II court ruling (CJEU, 2020). It may therefore be unlawful in certain jurisdictions, for example in the European context, to use technologies that transfer personal data to a third country.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The choice of the Matomo OSS project in the second part of the study is motivated by the fact that it is a widely deployed OSS solution for web analytics (e.g. w3techs.com, 2021) and it has been reported to be a viable alternative to proprietary web analytics solutions (Quintel and Wilson, 2020). The characterisation of organisational engagement with Matomo over time, in the second part of the study contributes knowledge about the long-term sustainability of and diversity of contributors to the OSS project.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards open government through open source software for web analytics: The case of Matomo

Gamalielsson¹,

Lundell²,

Butler³

et al. 2021

JeDEM

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Web analytics technologies provide opportunities for organisations to obtain information about users visiting their websites in order to understand and optimise web usage. Use of such technologies often leads to issues related to data privacy and potential lock-in to specific suppliers and proprietary technologies. Use of open source software (OSS) for web analytics can create conditions for avoiding issues related to data privacy and lock-in, and thereby provides opportunities for a long-term sustainable solution for organisations both in the public and private sectors. The paper characterises use of and engagement with OSS projects for web analytics. Specifically, we contribute a characterisation of use of OSS licensed web analytics technologies in Swedish government authorities, and a characterisation of organisational engagement with the Matomo OSS project for web analytics.

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Analytics and Privacy

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

Evaluating use of web-based interventions: an example of a Dutch sexual health intervention

Evaluating use of web-based interventions: an example of a Dutch sexual health intervention

Privacy concerns and the prevalence of third-party tracking cookies on ARL library homepages

Towards open government through open source software for web analytics: The case of Matomo

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