Look what I found in the Elitetrader source code

I found this little line of javascript that looks interesting.

<script>
(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');

ga('create', 'UA-283125-1', 'auto');
ga('send', 'pageview');
</script>

I wonder what that does. It doesn't appear to only be an ET thing. Similar code can be found on most websites.

 

Most websites use Google Analytics to provide their analytics on number of page views per month, etc. -- because Google provides the service for free.

 

And what does Google use the data for?

 

Baron is able to view the site stats on his Google analytics account.
https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/provision/?authuser=0#provision/SignUp/

It is similar to the site stats any web-host provides, just a parallel view of activity. The code is inserted by his developer/platform, nothing sinister.

Well until you start to think what Google does with it...don't go there.

 

I know exactly what the code does. It is on most websites and gives the site owner benefits of seeing various things about its users. It also pumps that data to google who pretty much can determine every place you visit on the web.

The point is that there is no such thing as privacy on the web. You are being tracked, your actions are being noted. I wonder how many ETers actually knew that Google knows what they are doing when they are on ET's website.

 

If you knew exactly then just state that at the beginning? Save a couple of us some time.

There is such a thing as privacy on the web. But you need to be a little savvy. Of course you know exactly how to do that so I won't go into the details.

 

Between PC use and an android smartphone, there is very little that Google doesnt know about a persons habits. Both online and otherwise.

 

Nice of you to wake up from your nap and join the world Mr Rip VanWinkle.

 

Just install the Ghostery app from the Chrome store. It can block all of those trackers on every single website that you visit if you want and you only need to unblock those ones who are REALLY harmless and/or REALLY essential. When I visit ET, I see on average 4 trackers being blocked by Ghostery and one of them is Google Analytics and the page still loads fine. Google's got nothing on me.