April 2024
Following feedback from the Ticketsolve community (thanks to the folks at GIAF for this), we have reviewed our GA4 integration and identified a potential risk caused by the pages report within GA4.
This review highlighted that GA4 captures the order confirmation URL from the Ticketsolve online journey. This data is then available from GA4 reports. This current setup should not present immediate concerns - the generated reports containing this data are primarily utilised by your team and, potentially, by approved third parties.
However, this data should not and does not need to be captured by GA4. We've developed a straightforward solution to improve our data handling processes and avoid this capture.
This change involves a minor change on your part within the GA4 account settings. We are changing the order confirmation page so that the order identifier is passed as a query parameter. Utilising GA4's data redaction feature, you can then ensure that any sensitive information within a URL is redacted upon detection of this parameter.
Please see below the steps that you need to follow to redact the data within GA4 and also the additional steps that we are taking to make this change possible.
What Do You Need to do?
To turn on the redact data features within GA4, follow the steps below:
1. Click in on Admin (in the bottom left hand corner of the screen).
2. Click on Data Streams.
3. Click on the stream to open up your settings.
4. Scroll down until you find the Events section and click on Redact data.
5. Turn on the URL query parameters.
6. Add in the following query parameter: 'uid' (type in and then hit the enter key to add it).
7. Click Save in the top right hand corner.
What Steps are We Taking?
While it’s only a GA4 change you need to action, we're undertaking enhancements behind the scenes to improve our system's privacy and security measures. Below are the key changes that will be rolled out as part of this change:
Updating Confirmation URL Format
We're updating how our confirmation URLs are generated. Instead of issuing a unique URL for each transaction through the Ticketsolve system, we're introducing a query parameter to these URLs. This addition is designed to work seamlessly with GA4's data redaction capabilities, ensuring sensitive information is automatically obscured.
Addressing Past Orders
Recognising that this update impacts only future orders, we have implemented a solution for previously placed orders. Should a customer attempt to view an order through the 'View My Order' link in their email, they would encounter the old URL format, which GA4 could still capture. To prevent this, we're proactively invalidating all existing URLs and transitioning them to the new format. Customers affected by this change will receive a notification about the invalidation, along with the updated URL sent directly to their email. Please note that only customers who click on the 'View My Order' link within their email will be affected by this.
Additionally, we have made an update to enhance the security and relevance of the information we provide. Orders associated with events that occurred 7 or more days in the past will no longer be viewable. This measure is designed to ensure that the information accessible through our system remains current and secure, further protecting our customers’ privacy and data integrity.
Gradual Implementation for Smooth Transition
To guarantee a seamless shift to the new URL format and minimise any potential disruptions, we're rolling out these changes in a carefully phased approach.
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