Improvements to Google Analytics

Recently, we noticed that Google Analytics results for embedded LotWorks maps were failing to return valid tracking data.

WHAT CHANGED?
To improve browser security, Google changed how third-party cookies are handled. This change has affected how LotWorks reports user data for it’s embedded website maps.

This change only affected those maps embedded into a website as an i-frame.

WHY CHANGE IT?
Last year, Google announced its plan to develop a more secure model for handling cookies. Google’s goal was to increase help users be more aware of how they are tracked, who is tracking them, and ways to control the information shared.

Cookies that were flagged as “third-party” slowly became blocked more and more throughout the year. As LotWorks maps are hosted by Blueprint (on lotworks.ca), the cookies were marked as being third-party when placed into a website with a different URL (ie. newcommunity.com).

WHAT ARE WE DOING?
We have released a patch to fix cross-site cookie requests so that Google Analytics can correctly report on how the maps are being used. This patch will also work for future browsers once they update their tracking security in the coming year.