Analytics & privacy

Analytics covers only published Paper Digest issues and Tech Notes. Opening a page is not evidence that someone finished reading it.

When enabled, your browser sends the article path and a one-time random request ID to the site owner's HTTPS service. The service combines the Shanghai calendar date, network address and browser information into a keyed digest to estimate daily unique visitors. Raw IP addresses, browser information, search terms, bookmarks and excerpts are not written to analytics files. Each article displays its cumulative pageviews publicly; unique-visitor counts and detailed reports remain private. Opting out stops counting but still allows a read-only request for the public counter, which does not record a visit.

Reloads increase pageviews. The same network address and browser usually count as one visitor per day. Shared networks can merge readers; changing networks or devices can count someone again. No identity is inferred or linked across dates. Daily visitor counts must not be added and presented as unique people across days.

Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control signals suppress collection. Previews, automated tests, search pages and private bookmarks are excluded. You can also disable analytics in this browser. This preference is stored locally and must be set again if browser data is cleared.