Statcounter flagged as tracking cookie

[Gifts4AnimalLovers]

Hi,

I had someone I know who has Spy Doctor installed on their PC check my website this afternoon and Statcounter is flagged as a tracking cookie, mentioning Statcounter.com by name.

As an e-commerce site I'm wondering what if anything can be done to stop that from happening as it could affect the visitors staying on my site.

I dont want to leave Statcounter but if it is affecting visitors to my site...

Any observations?

Thanks,

Gifts

[Car Guy]

Most websites, and all commercial websites use cookies to track visitors. Statcounter's tracking is no different than any other counter; they ALL use cookies.

You visitors should not see any warning when they visit a website using Statcounter. If they are using a program like Spydoctor will not only see Statcounter's cookies identified as a tracking cookie, but many others. Cookies are USED for tracking, that is what they do. Why only select cookies are singled out I don't know. Other "anti-spy" programs do not single out Statcounter, so which program do you go by?

And how would your visitors know that they got this tracking from your site, their are millions of websites out their using Statcounter.

[Gifts4AnimalLovers]

I was sat at his side when my website appeared on screen and 5 seconds later Spy Doctor said that there was a tracking cookie from Statcounter.com from my site & did he want to block it or allow it. He chose to block the cookie & continue, but others may close my webpage down.

I would like an official answer to this please, as regardless of whether other counters use cookies or not, Statcounter was flagged on my ecommerce site.

Thanks,

Regards,

Gifts.

[Car Guy]

We will wait for the official answer then.

BTW - are you using the secure version of Statcounter on your eCommerce site?

If you are not using the secure version of Statcounter on secure pages, your visitors WILL get a warning when the page tries to load, not because of cookies, but because the page is considered unsecure.

The secure version is an available option with upgraded accounts.

BTW - I did install Spybot and visited several sites using Statcounter, including the one in your profile. I got no warnings at all.

[Gifts4AnimalLovers]

Hi Car Guy,

Thanks for checking the site.

I am using the paid version, and the only thing I can say is that the cookie WAS flagged this afternoon by Spy Doctor. This person said what a good program it was for detecting spyware which is why I asked him to go onto my site to see if anything happened.

I personally use another anti-malware and have had no such problems, but I'm keen to know how my site is seen by others, and in this instance it was flagged!

Regards and thanks again,

Gifts

[webado]

Of course Statcounter's cookie is a tracking cookie. Thats' what you are doing when using Statcounetr code: you are tracking your site's visitors.

Tracking cookies are not spyware no matter what silly programs like Spy Doctor say.

Spyware are programs so they are capable of doing something on their own.

Cookies are not programs at all, there is nothing to execute, they are simple tiny text files which only the site which set the cookie can read back.

[Gifts4AnimalLovers]

The problem I have is that if the cookies are being flagged on potential customers PC's their visit to my site is likely to be short lived, no matter what opinion I have about cookies and how 'silly' some Anti MalWare may seem to others.

I still haven't heard an official view. Has an approach to Spy Doctor been made?

I may have to think about cancelling my trial paid subscription and change to GA as I dont want to lose customers.

Regretfully,

Gifts.