[theme-reviewers] tracking code in themes

[Bruce Wampler]

As the author of a popular WordPress theme, I would like to add my strong
agreement with the opt-in only policy for trackers such as PressTrends.

I find Trent Lapinski's arguments for the harmlessness of opt-out tracking
self-serving and disingenuous. Anyone with the least bit of understanding
of the difference between opt-in and opt-out, and how that affects user
privacy, would never argue for allowing any kind of automatic or opt-out
tracking of any kind in any repository based WordPress theme. It is simply
the wrong thing to do.

Maybe PressTrends isn't any different in concept or privacy issues than
Google's tracking code, or even WP stats, but both of those are opt-in -
they don't happen unless the web admin actively adds them.

Personally, I believe any sort of tracking should require permission from
the visitor to the site - but that is a much larger battle.

Bruce Wampler
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