If you self-host Plausible, it's also possible to bundle the analytics package with the website, so that there's isn't an "ad-blockable" lone request for the .js file.
> You surf with JS off because of sites abusing their users' data. This is not it.
Wrong. I surf with JS off because of sites that use JS to collect information about me.
If it's available on the server, then sure that might be considered fair game. But using javascript (or any other client-side tool) to do what you should instead do server-side is abusing users (or their data).
Putting analytics inline so it's "not ad-blocked by a url request" is absolutely disrespecting users and a perfect reason to turn off javascript.
> If it's available on the server, then sure that might be considered fair game. But using javascript (or any other client-side tool) to do what you should instead do server-side is abusing users (or their data).
That's quite the affirmation. Is this fact or opinion?
> Plausible doesn't collect information about you, but the site's usage. Do you also object to physical stores putting up cameras?
The difference is that the cameras don't get attached to my physical body, doesn't have any ability to monitor my actions after I have left the presence of the physical store, and can't force me to take any physical item or action.
Javascript, on the other hand, has the capability to become persistent, can monitor my computer's activity outside of your website, and can leave a lot (!) of additional data on my computer without my permission.
Also notice how I said "analytics package" and not "tracking" in my comment, because there is no tracking. I mean, unless you're the only visitor from a specific country, there is literally 0 identifying data in Plausible.
I would argue that yes, it can. If the only people who are interested in using the website are those who block analytics - and, given the demographic of a niche search engine, it doesn't sound entirely implausible - then there's no telling how the 99.99% splits into bots and nerds.
Not every "nerd" use a blocker. I know many who don't. Some want to support the sites they visit; some want to see the web as it is for most people; some say their mental filters are so well developed that ads don't bother them; etc.
You could guesstimate by checking the IP address - blocks assigned to residential users are likely humans, blocks assigned to cloud providers etc. likely bots.
This is far from true. Either via trojans, botnets, "crowd sourced vpns", or of course tor relays, residential IPs are a source of many bots. The overwhelming majority of spam sources (after you block a few data centers in NL).
Sounds like everyone blocking analytics (Plausible in this case), e.g. myself just now, is lumped in with spam bots.
Of course, analytics blocking can’t meaningfully swing the ~99.99% statistic.