Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on

[Jim Too]

I wonder if NOSCRIPT's GA surrogate is having an impact?

http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en

[Giorgio Maone]

Here Wladimir Palant tries to sell ABP as a better fix, only to find it is not.
The reason why Adblock Plus falls short here is exactly the same which one year and half ago prompted the development of the surrogate scripts feature
So, paraphrasing mr. Palant,

until Google can come up with something better I recommend people to use Adblock Plus with EasyPrivacy filter subscription NoScript, that’s the easy and reliable solution

[Jim Too]

My limited understanding is that some web sites are coded in such a way that NOSCRIPT's blocking of GA scripts prevented the web site from otherwise functioning and that the GA surrogate restores the web site's function while still keeping Google out of the loop. My poor attempt at a complement is if Google feels the need to provide this functionality then perhaps NOSCRIPT's GA surrogates are measurably cutting into the $$$ stream.

[Giorgio Maone]

My limited understanding is that some web sites are coded in such a way that NOSCRIPT's blocking of GA scripts prevented the web site from otherwise functioning and that the GA surrogate restores the web site's function while still keeping Google out of the loop.

Your understanding is correct.

My poor attempt at a complement is if Google feels the need to provide this functionality then perhaps NOSCRIPT's GA surrogates are measurably cutting into the $$$ stream.

Your compliment is welcome, but I'm not sure whether it's this or the uproar from people who are dissatisfied by Chrome's poor-man NoScript attempt because it's useless at blocking... guess what?

[SeanM]

My limited understanding is that some web sites are coded in such a way that NOSCRIPT's blocking of GA scripts prevented the web site from otherwise functioning and that the GA surrogate restores the web site's function while still keeping Google out of the loop.

Your understanding is correct.

Without beating the GA horse in excess, does ABE's example (FAQ, 8.10) function with the GA surrogate operation ? Is the surrogate's functioning predicated on explicit (untrusted) blocking of GA, or the resultant blocking of GA pursuant to the FAQ example ? To wit, if

Code: Select all

# google-analytics.com rule
Site google-analytics.com *.google-analytics.com
Accept from friend.com *.friend.com friend2.com *.friend2.com
Deny

is specified and given that

... since ABE's rule work independently from NoScript's permissions, you need to "Allow google-analytics.com" in NoScript's menu for the above to work.

will friend and friend2 sites function correctly, while all others are processed via the surrogate ?

[Giorgio Maone]

@SeanM:
Nope, unfortunately ABE doesn't trigger surrogate processing.