Google Analytics - it's illegal!

CorporateBloggingBlog reports that Google Analytics could be illegal in the European Union. You see Google Analytics uses cookies which is against European Union law unless you tell visitors that you are doing it, why you are doing it and how they can avoid it.

Comments

[Stevie]

At least in Germany Google Analytics is illegal as well. But it is illegal because of another point: Google Analytics saves the IP address of your visitors without asking them for permission. But before you are allowed to save a IP address you have to get an implicit permission of its owner. It is not enough, when you just put a disclaimer on your website.
Google is even allowed to give this IP address to third parties if you accept its Terms of Service. So I recommend you to read them.
There is an open source alternative open source tool which does not save any IP addresses (but as well cookies!): http://www.phpmyvisites.us
On my blog there is a more detailed article about Google Analytics.