If we hashed user IDs, we'd not be able to compute statistics about the images that UW users uploaded or their other work. Being able to correlate UW success with other work and the experience level of the editor seems like a clearly important thing. Also, storing a user ID is probably the least invasive way to track identity. It's a standard practice.

-Aaron

On Thu, May 15, 2014 at 4:38 PM, Christian Aistleitner <christian@quelltextlich.at> wrote:

Hi,

On Thu, May 15, 2014 at 10:42:22AM +0200, Christian Aistleitner wrote:
> tracking users through the site is evil.
> I'd prefer we do not do it.
> Especially since users currently have no way to choose between getting
> tracked and not getting tracked.

it seems that the above passage caused confusion internally in the
Analytics team.

So just to avoid doubt, let me clarify publicly that by the above “I”,
I really only mean me. Not the whole of the Analytics team.
:-)

Have fun,
Christian

P.S.: This clarification does of course not lessen my call about
hashing user_ids.

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