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When I try to insert the [current-user:uid] token for a custom dimension in the Google Analytics module, it gives me an error that this is a forbidden item.

However, reading through the GA Terms of Service, I can only find a vague statement saying only "non-personally identifiable information" is allowed.

The GA module is the only documentation I have found that explicitly states the uid is forbidden.

Wouldn't an id be allowed because Google has no way of retrieving the Drupal user's information?

Does anyone have a reference to where in the GA policy they disallow uid?

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There is nothing specific in the GA documentation that forbids it. There is actually a section in the GA Help which explains how to use user ids: Benefits of using the User ID feature, so using user ids is not forbidden by GA at all.

Why it doesn't work in the GA Drupal module is because of this paragraph, as stated by one of its developers (found here):

If you upload any data that allows Google to personally identify an individual, your Google Analytics account can be terminated, and you may lose your Google Analytics data.

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  • So it's a little bit of a gray area? It's disabled in the module because some countries may not allow it and there was a decision by the developers to err on the side of caution and disallow the id, even though it's technically allowed?
    – Tom Mertz
    Commented Aug 1, 2016 at 17:13
  • I can not speak for the developers, but in my eyes yes, they try to be on the save side. Not sure if there are countries where it is forbidden - it is possible. However, unless it is forbidden in your country (and you inform people you are using GA/cookies on your site) I am not sure how this could be a legal problem even if it is forbidden in the users country. A lot of sites obviously use GA's user id feature.
    – Zuzuesque
    Commented Aug 1, 2016 at 17:56
  • I found another link that seems to corroborate this: davidsimpson.me/2013/10/17/… If the id is sent to Google and has a public api that google can access it would be a violation, but if it's behind authorization it should be ok.
    – Tom Mertz
    Commented Aug 1, 2016 at 20:09

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