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in to analytical tracking. Then you can effectively tell Google Analytics: “we’ve informed our users this is the information we collect” – and in response, Google will re-activate more detailed tracking features in affected areas.

3. Next Steps

For businesses that stick with Google Analytics through the transition to version 4, and elect to give online visitors the ability to opt out of tracking, it is crucial to start by performing a basic audit: Does your website have contact forms or downloadable materials? What does your privacy policy look like, and has it been reviewed by a lawyer? Use this transition period to review the scope of how users interact with your website.

You might find that every tracking pixel and analytical tool added to your website over the years offers minimal upside to how you conduct business. Some of these features can slow the online user experience to a crawl.

In general, it’s worth regularly reviewing tracking pixels and trimming away anything that isn’t related to a recently active campaign as part of your site’s maintenance plan. By streamlining your site to track only the data you intend to use, you can make it run faster, remain legally compliant with GDPR and CCPA, and collect only the data most relevant to your business operations.

Understanding what data you intend to collect might take time.

You might choose to let Google Analytics 4 run its basic platform first, then customize its capabilities as you determine what user data is most important. For now, downloading your existing UA data is the most important first stepafter July 1, Google only promises to make historic UA data accessible for “at least six months.”

4. Alternatives to Google

Ultimately, the purpose of any analytics platform should be to measure the effectiveness of your various online initiatives - how much time users spend watching a webinar, how many customers order or download something from your site, how many views a certain page garners. Google’s reporting tools make it easy to view and interpret this data at a glance. Without those tools, a business can easily track rudimentary traffic data, but a more sophisticated report requires some do-it-yourself website programming.

The advantage to collecting and storing your own data is that you will not have to disclose to customers that you work with a third-party platform, though you still have to disclose that you collect data. Ensuring the security of that data could present a major hassle. If instead you choose to transition your analytics to a Google competitor, a separate set of logistical challenges awaits. Your legal department will need to ensure your site complies with GDPR and CCPA in any event.

For many organizations, moving to a new platform presents an unavoidable hassle - albeit one that offers a chance to re-evaluate your business priorities and focus on creating a better online user experience. And the transition period can itself be a valuable learning experience. Use the coming months wisely, and the new online data privacy landscape will be a less intimidating place.

Paul DeLeeuw is a tech Lead at ddm marketing + communications, a leading marketing agency for highly complex and highly regulated industries.

BY OMAR OCHOA

Since a Manhattan grand jury indicted former President Donald J. Trump on April 4 – and with other Trump grand jury indictments possible – many Americans have become more interested in this part of the legal process. Understanding how a grand jury works helps put the former president’s legal jeopardy into its proper context.

What is a grand jury?

A grand jury is a group of people who are brought together to hear evidence in cases where a crime may have been committed. They review evidence related to allegations, decide whether enough exists for the matter to go to trial and have the power to issue subpoenas – orders that require witnesses or other people to appear before the jury in a court of law. These witnesses must answer questions or else plead the Fifth Amendment, which should not be understood as implying guilt for themselves or the defendant.

In this way, grand juries may be thought of as investigative bodies. If the grand jury finds that the quality of the evidence is compelling and the amount sufficient to send the case to trial, it may issue an indictment, which consists of formal charges against someone. It presents this in court for the consideration of a judge, who then decides whether or not to proceed with the trial.

Grand juries are usually made up of 16 to 23 individuals selected from a pool of citizens living in the jurisdiction where they serve, though this number may vary depending on local or state requirements. Each state also has its own rules for who