Jetpack’s WooCommerce Analytics module & GDPR

  • Resolved Fernando Tellado

    (@fernandot)


    4 years, 5 months ago

    Hi!

    Recently, I’ve discovered that in the new versions of Jetpack there is a new module called WooCommerce Analytics, active by default, in every new install and update, without site owners consent, that collects data of users interactions and checkout activities without the users and site owners knowledge and consent.

    The module is active by default, without store owner, in every store powered by WooCommerce and Jetpack.

    I have two questions…?

    1. Why is this module active by default without previous information to the store owner about the GDPR implications of collecting data from users activities, therefore preventing store owners the access to the info they need in order to inform their customers about the behaviour of this module as GDPR demands?

    2. Why didn’t you informed store owners when this module was introduced in the plugin, specially because it’s hidden under the ‘Modules’ page, instead in any more visible Jetpack settings page?

    I think this is a bad practice regarding users privacy and should be informed to store owners on plugin activations or updates, to get the informed consent, give them the chance to write about new situation in the store privacy policy page, to inform about this tracking to store users and visitors, and, specially, store customers, as GDPR and the defense of users privacy demands.

    I’ve only found the info about this module behaviour regarding privacy tracking of users activities in stores powered by WooCommerce and Jetpack in the post announcing the feature, but there isn’t nothing to informe store owners in the Jetpack or WooCommerce plugins to do so, get explicit consent from site/store owner, and to give them the opportunity to inform to their customers.

    Thank You.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Plugin Contributor James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    This is part of the stats module and extends stats to WooCommerce products and pages. It won’t do anything if WooCommerce is not in use.

    You can deactivate it separately from the All Modules view: https://jetpack.com/support/control-jetpack-features-on-one-page/

    For details on WooCommerce Analytics, as well as what data it collects and how to deactivate it, please see https://jetpack.com/support/woocommerce-analytics/

    For more details regarding Jetpack and the GDPR, please see https://jetpack.com/2018/05/25/jetpack-gdpr/ and https://jetpack.com/support/privacy/

    Thread Starter Fernando Tellado

    (@fernandot)

    Hi @macmanx

    Thank You for the explanation but I don’t have the Stats module active (never) but the new module gots active in an update.

    For sure, I know how deactivate it (as I wrote: in the ‘Modules’ page) and I’ve read the post about the WooCommerce Analytics module.

    I’ve read the GDPR and privacy pages too, and nothing is explained in those pages regarding this subject, and why Jetpack plugin don’t inform store owners about the tracking in any of the plugins’s settings pages or pages linked into it. The only information when someone can discover what the module does is in the post about it linked in the – active by default and hidden in the modules page – module title.

    But my two questions remain unanswered ??

    I think this should be better informed, and, specially, the module shouldn’t be activated without store owners consent.

    I hope this subject won’t be solved only as another forum thread and communicate it to anyone in the company. I use to promote the use of Jetpack in blog posts, WordPress courses, etc, but this is a mistake, really easy to solve.

    Thanks again ??

    Plugin Contributor James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Thanks, we’ll look into making that clearer!

    Plugin Contributor Rob Pugh

    (@robertbpugh)

    Hi Fernando, thanks for sharing your concerns.

    At Automattic, we take data privacy seriously, and Jetpack follows all GDPR rules.

    Jetpack provides tools like the Cookies & Consent Banner to help site owners gain consent for their use of cookies.

    However, this post has shined a light on an area that needs more attention from us. The idea behind the WooCommerce Analytics module was to bring customer insights to eCommerce store owners to help them improve their business. But development was paused on this feature and has left it in an unfinished state.

    Given the concerns you’ve shared, we will be re-evaluating this feature and we’ll keep you and our users updated on the path forward.

    Rob Pugh
    Jetpack

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Rob Pugh.
Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • The topic ‘Jetpack’s WooCommerce Analytics module & GDPR’ is closed to new replies.