Earlier this week I decided to do away with Google Analytics on my personal website. It was long overdue.

Privacy is important. Privacy should be considered a right for everyone on the internet. You wouldn't walk up to a person in the grocery store and tell them where you live and that you keep a spare key under the plant on your patio. Why should that be any different on the internet?

I have no business knowing information about people who are visiting my website. I don't need to know where they are located. I don't need to know what computer or device they are viewing my website on. I don't need to know how many people are visiting my website. None of that data matters.

My website serves a very small purpose: be a place where I can share a little bit about myself and what I am working on. That's it. No matter who or how many people are visiting my website each day I am going to continue to do what interests me.

The privacy and data of those visiting my website should not be the price of admission. If they want to get my attention, I have a contact form available right on the website. Any person can fill it out and share what they feel comfortable sharing, and I get back to them when I have a moment. The way it should be.

Thinking about it a little longer, I don't think I truly even used the analytics and data Google vacuumed up while I had Google Analytics active. Why did I even enable it in the first place? Honestly, I couldn't give an honest answer because I don't know. That won't happen again. In fact, there are zero cookies being used on my website. 

Privacy on the internet matters now more than ever. It matters to me more than ever. Does it matter to you?