The secret’s out about your passion for Swedish soap operas.

That’s because Google Analytics has introduced advanced demographics reports, now generating statistics on visitors’ gender, age, and “interests” – which, depending on your outlook, is either Orwellian and invasive or exciting, useful, and relatively harmless.

The updated Analytics features are being rolled-out quietly – users have the option of enabling them, and have only to complete a brief sequence of steps within their Google Settings to do so.

Here at LogicTrail, we’re happy to start using the updated features to collect even more information – and build smarter strategy for our clients. Age and gender add two more ways of breaking down site visitors (add these to location, language, new v. returning users, etc.), helping marketers target and track these demographics more actively – and tailor campaigns accordingly. And while the few sample reports we’ve checked out show an overwhelming number of “interests” per user – a case of more data being less? – there’s potential here as well. Wouldn’t we like to see our hospitality clients hitting – and converting – folks with an interest in “travel,” or “fine dining”?

As far as whether these updates cross an internet privacy line … I’m not sure, in this case, I buy the potential outrage. (There are plenty of internet privacy and surveillance issues that are more pressing.) After all, it’s not like marketers are showing up IRL any time soon outside your window. Or is that what having an ad in your gmail inbox feels like?