Privacy matters but it can be confusing. This page explains my approach to privacy for my blog and how it affects you.
I measure visitors to my website using Google Analytics. This records what pages you view within my site, how you arrived at my site and some basic information about your computer. All of that information is anonymous?—?so I don’t know who you are; just that somebody visited my site.
The information I collect from analytics helps us understand what parts of my sites are doing well, how people arrive at my site and so on. Like most websites, I use this information to make my website better.
You can learn more about Google Analytics or opt out if you wish.
These services provide social buttons and similar features which I use on my website?—?such as the “Like” and “Tweet” buttons.
To do so I embed code that they provide and I do not control myselves. To function their buttons generally know if you’re logged in; for example Facebook use this to say “x of your friends like this”. I do not have any access to that information, nor can I control how those networks use it.
Social networks therefore could know that you’re viewing this website, if you use their services (that isn’t to say they do, but their policies may change). As my website is remarkably inoffensive I imagine this is not a concern for most users.
To allow visitors to discuss my blog articles I use a discussion system called Disqus.
To do so I embed code that Disqus provide and I do not control myselves. Disqus anonymously tracks visitors to pages like I do. They also remember who you are if you login to any Disqus service, so you can comment on any website using their tool.
Logging in to Disqus can be done in many ways, including via Facebook. If you login via social network, Disqus will be able to link your activity to that network. In this way, your Disqus activity may be personally identifiable.
Disqus will know what pages you viewed in my site and what you wrote on those comments. Of course all comments you leave are also publicly visible on the Internet alongside your name, so I do not imagine this is a concern for many people.
I may update this privacy policy from time-to-time, particularly as technology changes. You can always check this page for the latest version.
Thanks to sharedmemorydump for this privacy text which I ripped off wholesale.