Offen Fair Web Analytics

Offen Fair Web Analytics is a self-hosted web analytics application focused on data minimization and user-controlled data collection. It allows website operators to gather insights into visitor behavior while ensuring that users maintain control over their own information. The system operates on a principle of fairness, treating the visitor as an equal party by providing them with the same analysis tools available to the site operator.

The software is deployed as a server application via a single binary file or a Docker image. Operators integrate a code snippet into their web pages to begin tracking. It supports the use of SQLite for local data storage on the server or a dedicated database for larger installations. The application handles the technical overhead of security by automatically installing and renewing SSL certificates for the host.

Key features

• Opt-in only data collection requiring active user consent
• End-to-end encryption of usage data from the browser to the server
• User access to their own collected data and the ability to delete it
• Automatic installation and renewal of SSL certificates
• Support for analyzing multiple websites within a single installation
• Data retention policy that automatically deletes user data after six months
• Filtering of metrics by URL, location, referrer, and UTM parameters
• Customizable consent banner for color, shape, and font specifications

The application is designed for operators who prioritize GDPR compliance and privacy. It avoids collecting IP addresses and User-Agent strings to minimize the data footprint. The architecture allows for team sharing of website accounts and provides a localized interface available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Because the data is encrypted before it leaves the browser, the server storing the information cannot decrypt it, which prevents data exposure in the event of a server compromise.

This tool is positioned as a privacy-centric analytics solution for those who require full ownership of their data infrastructure and a transparent relationship with their website visitors.