With the evolution of data privacy regulations, third-party cookies have become a major concern for businesses. Law 25 in Quebec, which aims to enhance the protection of personal information, raises questions about the use of cookies and how companies can continue to track their users, particularly through tools like Google Analytics. This article examines these issues and their relation to some initiatives.
What are Third-Party Cookies?
Third-party cookies are data files placed on a device by a website other than the one the user is visiting. They allow for tracking users across multiple sites and are used for:
- Personalizing advertisements.
- Analyzing browsing behaviors.
With increasing restrictions on third-party cookies, companies must rethink how they collect and use user data.
Law 25 in Quebec
Effective September 2022, law 25 aims to protect the personal information of Quebec citizens. It imposes obligations on businesses regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data. Non-compliance can expose companies to significant financial penalties. Here are some key requirements:
- Informed Consent: Businesses must obtain explicit consent for each data collection, ensuring that users understand how and why their information is used.
- Transparency: Users must be informed about how their data will be used and protected.
- Right to be Forgotten: Users can request the deletion of their personal data, forcing companies to establish clear procedures for this right.
Impact of Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics is one of the most popular web analytics tools. However, with new privacy regulations, including Law 25, the use of third-party cookies is becoming limited. In response to these concerns, Google has introduced Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which includes cookie-less data collection features designed to protect user privacy.
GA4 uses a consent mode to adapt data collection according to the user's consent status. If a user refuses consent, GA4 restricts the use of traditional cookies, replacing data collection with cookie-less “pings.” This means that if properly configured on your website, basic traffic data can still be captured, such as visits and certain general metrics, but without details about the user's demographics or location, making individual identification impossible.
Comparison of Traffic Data
- Basic Traffic Data: This data provides an overview of site performance. It is important for tracking key metrics but does not go into depth. It shows who visits the site, how many pages they view, and how long they spend.
- Relevant Traffic Data: This data offers more nuanced and actionable insights. It helps understand not only who visits the site but also how and why those visits translate into concrete actions. It enables businesses to make informed decisions on how to optimize their content and marketing strategies.
Decline of Audience and Tracking
With the restrictions on third-party cookies and the implementation of law 25, businesses risk seeing a decrease in their audience data due to the loss of certain key information. To continue tracking relevant data and understanding users while respecting their privacy, several strategies can be implemented:
- Consent Pop-up: Upon arriving at the site, a transparent pop-up allows visitors to accept or refuse data sharing. This consent often includes options that enable businesses to optimize the site and better target their audience.
- First-Party Cookies: These internal cookies collect data about users only on the company’s site, complying with regulations, and help track visitor engagement.
- Aggregated and Anonymized Data: Instead of individually tracking users, companies can focus on general trends. Aggregated data allows for understanding overall behaviors while protecting user privacy.
- Enhanced Conversions: This allows businesses to capture conversion data using information like the user's email in an encrypted manner, enhancing the accuracy of conversion reports while respecting privacy. This feature uses first-party information and offers more detailed insights, even if cookie consent is limited.
- IP Address Anonymization: Google Analytics offers an option to anonymize IP addresses, which contributes to privacy by partially masking user addresses.
- Local Storage Use: Another possible alternative is using local storage in the browser, which stores data on the user’s device without using cookies. However, this allows for only very limited tracking.
- Server-Side Tagging: For more advanced consent management options, some companies choose server-side tagging, which allows data collection in a server environment and limits data processing to the user’s consent level.
Companies can encourage users to share only basic information, such as gender, age, and location, which can help optimize the site and develop more targeted strategies to engage their audience.
Conclusion
The interaction between third-party cookies and Quebec's Law 25 complicates user tracking. Despite these challenges, solutions exist to help businesses respect privacy while continuing to gather essential data. Compliance with local regulations and adapting data collection strategies is crucial.