[theme-reviewers] tracking code in themes

[Trent Lapinski]

Chip,

I am not arguing people will not enable PressTrends, I am arguing that the metrics that are the most important part of PressTrends are negated because it now can't be enabled by default.

There is no data being taken from the user that is being used without their consent. 

These are PUBLICLY available websites, anyone can go to these websites because they are live on the internet and view their stylesheets and see the version number of the the theme they are using, or count the number of posts they have. This is not USER data, these are publicly available analytics.

There is nothing to consent to, just like there is nothing to consent to every time you view any website on the internet that has analytic software of any kind.

--Trent Lapinski
=============
CEO of CyberChimps LLC
trent at cyberchimps.com
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http://CyberChimps.com

On Mar 8, 2012, at 1:11 PM, Chip Bennett wrote:

> On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 3:01 PM, George Ortiz <george at venturengine.com> wrote:
> Chip, can I quote you on our site?
> 
> "In fact, I wish WordPress.org itself provided this kind of data publicly."
> - Chip Bennet, WordPress.org Theme Reviewer
> 
> [CITATION NEEDED] 
> 
> We're obviously really concerned and stay pretty strict on any data coming across our API. Currently, we aggregate information back to theme authors as another form of keeping data private and anonymous.
> 
> There is a huge value for both the theme authors and the end-users. Which is why we released a plugin for content creators.
> 
> I completely understand the policy. I do however want to question the default opt-in setting. It's just as easy for end-users to opt-out as it is to opt-in. Statistically, most people just stick with default options regardless of their thoughts or feelings. As PressTrends is backed by many top WordPress users and advocates, is there anyway you would reconsider the default of opt-out rather than opt-in?
> 
> This policy has nothing to do with the integrity of the developers, but rather has everything to do with the right of end users to control what, where, and how their own data are used.
> 
> That most users tend to use default settings is all the MORE reason for such a service to be disabled by default. By this very admission, you recognize that any end user data sent via this service would NOT be sent with the informed consent of the end user. 
> 
> "Informed user consent" is the bottom line here.
> 
> Chip
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