With browser vendors adding more and more tracking protection with every release, a plethora of privacy enhancing browser extensions and AdTech companies getting better every day at fingerprinting and circumventing tracking restrictions (think using DNT headers in order to fingerprint and track users) it feels like the year 2019 is finding the internet in some sort of privacy arms race.

What if instead of arming further, we tried doing the following: we accept the need for a limited set of user data to be analyzed, but handle this data respectfully and with the utmost care?

This is why I recently started building Offen, a free and open source web analytics software that handles user data ethically and with respect. Usage data will be collected on opt-in only and is accessible to the user at any time. This means users can gain insights on what data site operators are able to collect and start making informed decisions regarding privacy on the internet. Users can delete their data at any time and opt out again. All data is encrypted so it cannot be traded in any meaningful way or is subject to possible leaks or hacks.

I will be building offen together with Hendrik Niefeld and with generous financial support by the NGI Zero PET fund commissioned by NLNet.

We are just starting this project, but anyone interested is welcome to get in touch and follow or even support our development efforts.