Online web analytics and web tracking (through first-party and third-
party cookies) are often perceived as a "black box". They rely on the collection
of large amounts of data for various purposes - functional, analytical, and mar-
keting - often without the user's knowledge. This issue is reinforced by Google's
dominant position in web analytics, particularly through the widespread integra-
tion of Google Analytics (GA) into first-party cookies. At the same time, Europe
is witnessing a rise in open government initiatives, particularly in line with the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which aim to increase data trans-
parency and accessibility for individuals. These initiatives often use open gov-
ernment data (OGD) portals as a means to disseminate government information.
Our study, therefore, examines such platforms across Europe to determine the
prevalence of web tracking activity and Google's potential involvement. Our
findings reveal a nuanced use of cookies within OGD portals, characterized by a
significant presence of GA cookies. This situation raises debates about privacy,
transparency, and the possibility of transitioning to more ethically responsible
tracking technologies in government digital services. We propose several practi-
cal recommendations for governments to improve their privacy efforts, including
minimizing tracking practices, adopting open source analytics solutions, con-
ducting regular audits, and improving public awareness of web tracking prac-
tices.