good cookies More good cookie news. I’ve blogged a lot about the movement to save our precious affiliate tracking cookies. In the affiliate marketing industry cookies are a critical component to insure affiliates get paid for their efforts. Additionally in the general business of the web, cookies are important to almost every aspect of tracking, even basic web analytics.

OFF-TOPIC – I had several LONG email conversations with a colleague this weekend as we tried to decipher our web stats. Each stats program we used Awstats, Webalizer and Google Analytics shows completely different referral and site traffic numbers. Every program we used has so many inconsistencies it was almost impossible to come to any solid conclusion. Every stats program counts differently due a variety of things like the way they handle proxy servers, caching, spider visits, differences in visitor time-outs, cookies and other metrics. So I’m glad the WAA is working on setting some standards.

BACK ON THE COOKIE TOPIC – Since cookies are an important component of web analytics, the WAA is launching new initiative to educate consumers about cookies. The WAA’s efforts will also help us in the affiliate marking industry.

Press Release – The Web Analytics Association Adopts Anti-Spyware Principles; Cookie Education Still a Significant Need – WAA Has Adopted Anti-Spyware Principles to Address Privacy Data Issues and is Partnering With Vendors on New Education Initiatives”

“Website visitors are beginning to understand cookies can serve a positive, practical purpose for both the site owner and visitor but much education still needs to be done from both the industry and consumer perspective, says the Web Analytics Association (WAA), the not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to promoting the understanding of web analytics through education, advocacy, standards, research and technology.

To achieve clearer understanding of the use of cookies, the WAA Advocacy Committee is engaging in an educational initiative that will lead to the creation of materials the WAA will share with its members, and the members can go on to share with the ultimate consumer, says Ben Isaacson, co-chair of the Advocacy Committee. Isaacson is Privacy and Compliance Leader for Experian and CheetahMail.

It’s a continuing challenge to educate the marketplace that cookies are OK and are not spyware,” says Isaacson. “Through the education initiative we will separate fact from hype.”