Google blocks itself with new browser plugin

Users who don't want to be included in Google's Analytics service now have a Google plugin to opt out.

Google Analytics helps website owners determine how many people are coming to their website and a little bit of demographic information about those users.  Think of it as Nielson data for the web (Nielson also does web ratings).

Just like Nielson's for TV, some web users may not want Google or site owners knowing information about what sites they visit.  Knowing this (and wanting to be/seem transparent as possible), Google has created a solution for some.

Announced on Google's Public Policy blog, the new browser Add-on is available for Internet Explorer (versions 7 and 8), Google Chrome (4.x and higher), and Mozilla Firefox (3.5 and higher).  It doesn't yet support Apple's Safari which doesn't yet have a plugin API.

The add on, available here, allows you to just block some of Google's Analytics features as well.  For instance you can just block your IP address so analytics doesn't know where you are coming form nor how many times you visit the site.

While this feature can block Google from recording your information, most websites still record logs which will continue to collect information about users.