Re:Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics
by d_j_b on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @11:43AM
(#37571578)
I agree with the central point, that web analytics lacks rigor. But I don't think it's wholly true that the problem is that our own motivations cause our analysis to lack objectivity. I think the other reason the author gives is the really key one: analytics data tantalises us with the idea that it may be coherent, complete and realistic; in fact it is wildly diffuse and represents only a tiny slice of the lived experience of users.
I wrote a post on a similar topic this week. https://mechanicalsurvival.com/blog/failing-to-visualise-web...