News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data protection authority.

Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by ssijak on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:17AM (#30285567)
So I can take follow someone in public, take picture of them in public places from some distance, follow them into stores, see what they are spending and what they are using, etc. Store owners can have cameras, track the behaviour of customers, etc But if I use a service which anonymously tracks which pages they opened on a website they voluntarily visited and are exploring, then I'm in trouble?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by Bayart on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:35AM (#30285739)
What you're describing is very illegal in France, and you might have the police called on you or the person reacting aggressively if you're filming them like that. In fact there were a few incidents of that nature with Twitch streamers pointing their cameras at people and complaining online they were being mistreated by the locals.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by waffleiron on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:40AM (#30285797)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Country_specific_...

This is a link I often check before traveling abroad regarding photography, and what is described is indeed illegal in France.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by vasco on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:19AM (#30285572)
You're also in trouble if you send the data you collect by other methods without consent, to servers based in the USA for NSA to snoop around on and correlate with all their other data points.

Unless your argument is "but how would they know about it", in which case that applies to any other crime.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by FridayoLeary on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:22AM (#30285610)
Instead you must give it to their European equivalents (which looks likely given the current state of affairs).
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by vasco on Thursday February 10, 2022 @12:55PM (#30289983)
Yes, and NSA can read all communications anyway. This whole thing is a political issue not a technical one.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by xaedes on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:19AM (#30285573)
No, you can't stalk people.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by ssijak on Thursday February 10, 2022 @11:15AM (#30288303)
You are not stalking, like doing it all the time. And you are not taking closeup in your face picture but from a distance. All that is not illegal in a lot of countries.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by Rygian on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:45AM (#30285871)
> if I use a service which anonymously tracks

Wrong. Google Analytics (at least v3 by default) tracks IP addresses, which are considered personal information. [1]

[1] https://www.cookielawinfo.com/anonymize-ip-in-google-analyti...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by xaltsc on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:22AM (#30285602)
Actually, none of that is legal (in France at least), except for cameras.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by southerntofu on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:34AM (#30285726)
In most countries, you may take a photo including some person walking down public space. However, if you follow this person, aim your camera at this person specifically, or take several pictures of the same person it would be considered an infringement of their "right to image" if not criminal stalking.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by argovaerts on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:30AM (#30285686)
Stalking is illegal in every EU country, camera's need a permit and the customer tracking needs an opt-in in most countries or is just illegal
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by jen20 on Thursday February 10, 2022 @09:37AM (#30286576)
a) You can't do that. b) Your analogy does explain how creepy that desire is quite nicely.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Use of Google Analytics declared illegal by French data p... by Nekorosu on Thursday February 10, 2022 @08:21AM (#30285600)
You are in trouble in both cases.
[ Parent | on HN ]