Google has printed new documentation for the GA4 Information Redaction function that stops unintentionally sending personally identifiable info (PII) to Google. This makes it simpler to evolve to privateness legal guidelines and Google’s personal insurance policies.
Notable in regards to the function is that it is going to be turned on by default for brand new properties which might be added to GA4 however current properties must manually allow it.
Google’s GA 4 insurance policies require that no PII information be despatched by GA4 that Google may use to determine people.
Examples of PII contains (however is just not restricted to):
- E-mail addresses
- Private cell numbers
- Social safety numbers
Eradicating PII From URLs
One of many ways in which PII may inadvertently be despatched to Google is thru URL paths and parameters that include PII in them.
The Information Redaction function in GA4 is a setting that’s turned on by default for brand new properties added to GA4.
Present properties might want to configure the information redaction function within the internet information stream settings.
GA4’s information redaction function analyzes occasions previous to sending them to Google and strips out any PII which may be contained within the information.
New Characteristic Accessible On GA4
Beneath is a screenshot of the brand new function that’s now accessible on GA4:
It is a screenshot of the following window that opens up that permits customers to redact information:
Clicking the 2 buttons permits customers to redact personally figuring out info in order that it’s not despatched to Google.
It’s turned on by default for brand new properties however must be manually switched for current properties.
Based on the brand new documentation:
“The info-redaction function helps to stop the inadvertent assortment of PII within the type of electronic mail addresses and URL question parameters.
Information redaction makes use of textual content patterns to determine possible electronic mail addresses throughout all occasion parameters and the URL question parameters which might be included as a part of the occasion parameters page_location, page_referrer, page_path, link_url, video_url, and form_destination.”
It ought to be famous that Google’s documentation advises that customers shouldn’t think about their accountability to take away PII to be accomplished with this resolution.
The answer can’t be thought of full as a result of GA4 customers are nonetheless obligated to be sure that there are not any PII despatched to Google in another method that the information redaction function might not be capable of determine and take away.
The brand new documentation states:
“It’s essential to keep in mind that whereas information redaction supplies a robust instrument towards inadvertently gathering PII, the final word accountability for assembly regulatory necessities nonetheless lies with the entity gathering information.
To additional enable you meet that accountability, this function permits you to take a look at your configuration to know whether or not the textual content patterns you determine are redacted as anticipated (be taught extra).”
You may as well use Debug View to watch in actual time how Analytics collects occasions out of your website.”
Now it’s only a setting inside GA4.
Learn Google’s newly printed documentation for the information redaction function:
[GA4] Information redaction