You're right about explicitly set preferences.
replyWhat do you see as the harm in website owners using aggregated analytics data to improve their sites?
Abstract: It's still spying on users.
replyPractical: Supposedly-aggregated stats have a history of actually being perfectly possible to analyze back into individually identifiable information. Also, it's conveniently the same tech stack in a way that makes it easier to make an actual slippery slope.