Is Google Analytics GDPR compliant?

What does Google Analytics do?

Google's traffic measurement, GA4. It sets identifiers in the browser and sends page and event data to Google, so it needs consent before it runs and a transfer basis named in your privacy policy.

Does Google Analytics need consent?

Yes. Google Analytics is Analytics, which is never strictly necessary for a website to function. Under ePrivacy Article 5(3), and its national transpositions, storing or reading anything on the device for that purpose requires consent first, and that consent has to be as easy to refuse as it is to give.

ePrivacy Art. 5(3) · TDDDG § 25 (DE) · TKG 2021 § 165(3) (AT) · GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)

Does Google Analytics send data outside the EEA?

Yes. Google Analytics processes data outside the European Economic Area, so you need a transfer mechanism under Chapter V and you have to say so in your privacy policy. In practice this means standard contractual clauses, or a provider certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

GDPR Art. 44 · GDPR Art. 46

What can I use instead of Google Analytics?

How do we detect Google Analytics?

We load your page in a real browser as a first-time visitor who clicks nothing, then look at what it contacted. Google Analytics is recognised by requests to google-analytics.com and analytics.google.com, and we report whether it merely loaded or actually sent data, and whether it set a cookie before any choice was made.