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Strip last two characters from UK postcodes when using geo zip to populate the Zip Code dimension

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Level 2

9/23/23

Why is this feature important to you?

 

I want to have a geo variable for UK users that can be classified and also used in data sources. This will allow us to combine our offline geographic segments with onsite behavioural data. It will also enable us to create calculated metrics such as "registration per local authority" so that we can analyse regional performance in Adobe Analytics.

 

Using Geo Zip to populate the Zip Code dimension does satisfy these requirement except that it captures full UK postcode (e.g. HP22 5UY).  This is considered personal information because some postcodes contain only one address. We do not want to to collect and store this information as it may contravene the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

However, if the last two characters were removed such that we only captured "4 digit" postcodes (aka Postal Sector, e.g. "HP22 5"), then these are sufficiently anonymous.

 

How would you like the feature to work?

An additional option in Report Suite Settings > General Account Settings.
If the Zip Option is set to "use geo", then provide an additional configuration for UK postcodes ( 1. Use Full Postcode, 2. Remove Last Character, 3. Remove Last Two Characters, 4. Remove Last Three Characters).

Current Behaviour?
If a Geo Zip setting is enabled in Zip settings, then the Zip Code dimension is populated with a Full Postcode.

 

Other Notes


NB - I have considered the argument that because the postcode data is captured via IP address that it is too inaccurate to truly be personal data (insofar that you're not actually capturing someone's postcode but the nearest ping tower - or whatever Safari has produce). But I do not feel this would cover us in all situations.

 

Separately, some of our use cases could be met if this other feature was implemented instead but on the other hand the idea was first raised 10 years ago (!)
https://experienceleaguecommunities.adobe.com/t5/adobe-analytics-ideas/out-of-the-box-reports-should...

 

1 Comment

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Community Advisor and Adobe Champion

9/23/23

This feature would also be nice for Canadian postal codes... I wouldn't even mind if it stripped the last three characters for us... The first three are the "FSA" (Forward Sortation Area), which is a generic regional location... the last three are the Local Delivery Area which even here can be localized to one specific household.

 

I imagine this would be handy for US Zip codes as well, where I believe the first digit represents the state, the second and third digits represent the region, and the fourth and fifth are local delivery addresses.

 

Having some options to obscure the data easier for privacy would only be a good thing.