: How to track site visitors across several browser sessions or computers using Google Analytics? If a site visitor clears cookies, uses various browsers or computers then Google Analytics will have

@Steve110

If I understand your question, I think should try to send to Google Analytics the user identifier (aka "User ID"), as specified on their documentation:
support.google.com/analytics/answer/3123662?hl=en

The User ID enables the association of one or more sessions (and any
activity within those sessions) with a unique and persistent ID that
you send to Analytics.

To implement the User ID, you must be able to generate your own unique
IDs, consistently assign IDs to users, and include these IDs wherever
you send data to Analytics.

For example, you could send the unique IDs generated by your own
authentication system to Analytics as values for the User ID. Any
engagement, like link clicks and page or screen navigation, that
happen while a unique ID is assigned can be sent and connected in
Analytics via the User ID.

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@Frith620

Saving the GA cookies on each page view and then restoring them if they were not present on the users next login would have the desired effect.
Storing the cookie data in a database against a user id would not be against the GA TOS www.google.com/analytics/terms/us.html

You will not (and will not allow any third party to) use the Service to track, collect or upload any data that personally identifies an individual (such as a name, email address or billing information), or other data which can be reasonably linked to such information by Google. You will have and abide by an appropriate Privacy Policy and will comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to the collection of information from Visitors. You must post a Privacy Policy and that Privacy Policy must provide notice of Your use of cookies that are used to collect traffic data, and You must not circumvent any privacy features (e.g., an opt-out) that are part of the Service.


Google provide server-side code to read the cookies that could be used as a starting point: developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/other/mobileWebsites and here is a (slightly old) blog post explaining the cookie data: blog.vkistudios.com/index.cfm/2010/8/31/GA-Basics-The-Structure-of-Cookie-Values

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@Chiappetta492

Actually, if your system allows to identify the user of your system personally (e-mail, surname etc., FB/Google login), then you'll definitely breach the agreement.

But in order to detect the same user you have to be able to "connect the dots" - which requires personal identification as I consider. Your interest in aggregated data should be called fair use. And Google doesn't treat you as a fair player at any point of time. Thus, you'll need to gain user's consent for fair tracking and do it yourself.

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