Deekshith-goud/local-web-analytics-extension
OtherPrivacy-First Browser Analytics Extension
A production-grade, privacy-first Chrome extension for local-only web browsing analytics. Features on-device tracking, zero telemetry, and Manifest V3 support.
- TypeScript92.5%
- CSS6.4%
- JavaScript1.2%
1 Review
Local Browse Insights has a clear and valuable privacy promise: browser usage analytics without sending browsing history to a server. The README makes that positioning concrete with a comparison table against cloud-based tracking tools, screenshots, install instructions, a quick-start flow, troubleshooting, and a strong contribution rule forbidding telemetry, remote scripts, or data exfiltration. The implementation stack is a good fit: TypeScript, Plasmo, React, Dexie/IndexedDB, Tailwind, and Manifest V3. The package.json also supports the privacy claim structurally: host permissions are empty, CSP is locked down to self-hosted scripts, and the permissions list is focused on what a local tracker needs, such as tabs, idle, windows, storage, alarms, favicon, notifications, and offscreen. Simulating usage, the flow is easy to understand: load the extension, browse normally, then open the popup/dashboard or floating widget to see active time, productivity scoring, heatmaps, timelines, and top domains. The best improvement would be making the privacy model auditable in more detail. A short “what is stored in IndexedDB” schema section, export/import plan, retention controls, and screenshots of settings would help. I’d also add tests or documented manual checks for idle detection, active-tab tracking, domain-only storage, data purge, and no external network calls.
Your suggestions for making the privacy model more transparent and auditable are spot on. Moving forward, I completely agree that trust requires verifiable transparency. Here is how I plan to address your feedback in the upcoming updates: 1. Data Transparency & Schema Documentation I will update the README to include a dedicated "What is stored in IndexedDB" section. This will outline the exact schema, clarifying that we only store domain-level aggregations and timestamps, completely stripping away specific URL paths, query parameters, or PII. 2. Data Portability & Retention Controls Giving users full control over their data is a top priority. I am adding an Export/Import feature to the roadmap so users can back up or migrate their analytics locally. Additionally, I will implement Retention Controls in the settings, allowing users to automatically purge data older than a specified timeframe (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days), and I'll make sure to add screenshots of these settings to the documentation. 3. Auditability & Testing You raised an excellent point regarding testability. To prove our "no external network calls" and "domain-only storage" claims, I will document a set of manual verification checks (using Chrome DevTools) that anyone can follow to audit the extension's behavior. In tandem, I will work on adding automated test coverage for idle detection, active-tab tracking, and data purging to ensure these privacy guardrails remain intact as the codebase evolves. Thanks again for taking the time to test the flow and dig into the technical implementation. Your feedback provides a fantastic roadmap for our next phase of security and transparency hardening!