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Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

benhoyt.com

11–20 of 143 posts

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#11
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you implying Amazon harvests S3 objects for info?

I think it is incredibly fair to say that you shouldn't put data onto the servers of a company if you mind them reading that data. Why should I assume they aren't? At a bare minimum, the metadata is being actively consumed by the parent company. I don't think this is AWS specific at all.

?? Because a cloud company using data like that would be corporate suicide?

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#12
post #9
post #6

If you're using JavaScript to add the pixel code, why not also include other metrics you can get easily with JS like screen resolution?

Yeah, good question. I wanted to do that, but GoAccess is a web server log parser and doesn't support custom fields (you don't get screen resolution via web logs, so it kinda makes sense). See: https://goaccess.io/man I could probably hack it and overload different HTTP status codes to mean different screen sizes or something, but I didn't consider device size to be important for me. GoAccess does break down the User…

Thanks - makes sense. Good work!

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#14
post #11
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it is incredibly fair to say that you shouldn't put data onto the servers of a company if you mind them reading that data. Why should I assume they aren't? At a bare minimum, the metadata is being actively consumed by the parent company. I don't think this is AWS specific at all.

?? Because a cloud company using data like that would be corporate suicide?

I would love to hear one case where that has happened. Information is free money, something virtually no company making money on information turns down.

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#15
post #2

If you’re not a fan of big brother you probably should be logging to bare metal instead of Amazon S3.

https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/data-privacy-faq/

"We do not access or use your content for any purpose without your consent. We never use your content or derive information from it for marketing or advertising"

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#18
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you implying Amazon harvests S3 objects for info?

I think it is incredibly fair to say that you shouldn't put data onto the servers of a company if you mind them reading that data. Why should I assume they aren't? At a bare minimum, the metadata is being actively consumed by the parent company. I don't think this is AWS specific at all.

If this was the case, I think we would have had some amazon whistleblower already blow this info and would be widely reported on.

Re: Show HN: I replaced Google Analytics with simple log-based analytics

#20
post #16

Has anyone done research whether stopping using Google Analytics impacts Google Search rankings?

Taking out the tracking code snippet increases your Google PageSpeed score. Which makes sense, but I was always amused that Google basically was taking points says for using their analytics in your site.
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