WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Website visitors are beginning to understand cookies can serve a positive, practical purpose for both the site owner and visitor but much education still needs to be done from both the industry and consumer perspective, says the Web Analytics Association (WAA), http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org, the not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to promoting the understanding of web analytics through education, advocacy, standards, research and technology.
To achieve clearer understanding of the use of cookies, the WAA Advocacy Committee is engaging in an educational initiative that will lead to the creation of materials the WAA will share with its members, and the members can go on to share with the ultimate consumer, says Ben Isaacson, co-chair of the Advocacy Committee. Isaacson is Privacy and Compliance Leader for Experian and CheetahMail.
"It's a continuing challenge to educate the marketplace that cookies are OK and are not spyware," says Isaacson. "Through the education initiative we will separate fact from hype."
The WAA is "stepping up its efforts to inform members about all aspects of the proper use of cookies and related technology, and to share industry best practices as they relate to these technologies, and privacy issues in general," says Jay McCarthy, co-chair of the Advocacy Committee and Vice President of Business Development at WebSideStory.
At the heart of the issue, says Isaacson, is the use of persistent cookies, those cookies that stay on the user's computer "and tell us you came back tomorrow." This type of cookie is critical to the use of web analytics since it provides data that improves website visitor loyalty. "Website owners need to communicate more effectively on how they are using cookies and we hope, with our education initiative, to give them more tools to work with," says Isaacson.
One major web analytics user, InterContinental Hotels, has this approach: "InterContinental Hotels' practice is to collect web data at the individual site visitor level, then use the data at the aggregate level to optimize the site for performance and content. We have found this to be the most effective and well-balanced strategy," says Shubhra Srivastava, Senior Analytics Consultant, Ecommerce Decision Sciences, InterContinental Hotels Group.
The WAA Advocacy Committee is also formally reaffirming the anti-spyware statement of principles adopted by WAA and published earlier this year. The principles include:
1. Members of the WAA will not engage in the deceptive practices
that characterize spyware and those who purvey spyware.
2. The policies and practices of WAA members are open to third
party, independent review.
3. We believe defining and targeting deceptive practices, as
opposed to focusing on the technology, will ultimately lead to
better protection of the online user.
4. We are committed to educating the public about the benefits of
cookies and web beacons, and dispelling the myth that these are
spyware.
5. The WAA encourages U.S. Federal legislation to establish an anti-
deceptive practices (spyware) regulatory framework that is
stringent, comprehensive and uniform.
For a full copy of the WAA's Anti-Spyware Statement of Principles, go to its web site at http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org/spyware-software-statement.pdf.
About The Web Analytics Association
The Web Analytics Association is a not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to promoting the understanding of web analytics through education, advocacy, standards, research and technology. Its members include companies like CoreMetrics, IBM, Omniture, Google Analytics, Walt Disney Internet Group, WebSideStory, WebTrends, and Yahoo! while total membership in the organization exceeds 750 individuals and companies.
Founded by web analytics industry leaders, the mission of the association is to unite and foster the interests of practitioners, vendors, consultants and educators who use, sell, install, implement, consult, teach or train in the field of web analytics. For more information about membership, volunteer, or sponsorship opportunities for the WAA, please visit http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org.