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Comment by yahelc | Hacker News Reader

This is bizarre. This piece insinuates, with not a shred of evidence, that Google+ identity data is linked to Google Analytics data, and there is zero evidence that this is the case, or that it even makes any sense. (For starters, Google Analytics tracking code never touches the google.com domain in any kind of way and thus couldn't be used to link to account information.)

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From their official blog: "What does this mean in practice? The main change is for users with Google Accounts. Our new Privacy Policy makes clear that, if you’re signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we’ll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience."

http://googleblog.blogspot.se/2012/01/updating-our-privacy-p...

Boom - and that includes Google Analytics:

"At Google, we are keenly aware of the trust you place in us and our responsibility to keep your privacy and data secure. As part of this responsibility, we let you know what information we collect when you use our products and services, why we collect it, and how we use it to improve your experience. The Google privacy policy & principles describes how we treat personal information when you use Google's products and services, including Google Analytics."

http://www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html

Where in there does it say that personal traffic information is linked to Google+ information?

Sorry, but that's not what that means. There are settings that allow people to opt to link their Google Analytics accounts to, say, AdWords or Webmaster Tools, but that's at the website owner level, not at the individual-navigating-the-web level.

There's simply no evidence that increased data sharing across Google involves linking Google Analytics data to individual personal accounts on Google+.

(If anything, the trend at Google is towards less integration between GA and Google Accounts; for example, Google now prevents Google search terms for logged-in Google Accounts users from getting passed in the referrer for search traffic.)

It clearly states that Google will correlate your information on all services. Please take time to read my post again. Speaking of evidence: I believe it's your time to provide some if you want to dispute this, "the trend at Google" just won't cut it.

> for example, Google now prevents Google search terms for logged-in Google Accounts users from getting passed in the referrer for search traffic.

But if you buy Google Ads you still get that information. That speaks volumes.

Then how come I need to be on google.com to view the analytics data? I'd love to be wrong about this and will correct.

The Google Analytics JavaScript is hosted on google-analytics.com, as is the Google Analytics pixel.

Google Analytics cookies are first-party cookies, so are tied to the domain of the website you're on, not Google.

Google Analytics data, unless manipulated to be otherwise by the end user with a manual customization, is not systematically tied to personalized Google+ traffic information. There's never been any evidence otherwise, and honestly, the burden of proof is typically on the accuser when making these kinds of accusations, so, really, I flip the question to you and ask what evidence do you have for this accusation besides insinuation and conspiratorial instinct?

Fair. I updated the post.

UPDATE: Edited again per the info in this thread; Google Analytics does track Google+

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