How to Prevent Nintendo From Sharing Your Online Store Data Using Google Analytics
Every time you buy a game on Nintendo Switch eShop, Nintendo collects and transmits data about your purchases to Google Analytics. Nintendo has been doing this for a long time, but some users may not know or feel comfortable with the practice.
Why is Nintendo sharing your online store data?
Now, to be clear, this is not too surprising and nothing to worry about. If you’ve read our previous roundup of similar methods of collecting and sharing data , you know that companies do it for only one reason: money . Corporations don’t spy on you for “thought crimes” or anything else. They just want to sell you stuff , and data is a good way to do that.
Is Nintendo eShop data anonymous?
In the case of Nintendo, it uses Google Analytics to find out what people buy, download, and search for in an online store. This information is tracked anonymously, so nothing from your online store is linked to your Nintendo or Google Account. The online store settings page also clearly states that your online store data is the only one that Nintendo collects and transmits to Google Analytics. The company does not track any other account information or Nintendo Switch activities.
However, even if it is done anonymously, data collection can seem completely inevitable, and it is strange that we were all limited by the resources that Nintendo, Google and other giant companies use to make money.
How to Turn off Google Analytics Data Sharing on Nintendo Switch
Luckily, the Switch console lets you turn off Google Analytics sharing if you like.
- Launch the online store on your Nintendo Switch.
- Scroll and select your profile icon in the upper right corner of the screen to open the account information screen.
- Highlight your account name, then scroll right to highlight the settings menu. Scroll down to Google Analytics Settings and select Edit.
- Highlight and select Don’t Share, then click Edit.
- Select “OK” on the pop-up screen to confirm your changes.
- Press the “B” button to exit the menu and return to the account information page, and make sure that “Do not share” is indicated in the “Google Analytics Settings” section .
- You can now press the X button or the Home button to close the online store.
[ How To Geek ]