this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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Firefox

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Firefox starting to remove tracking parameters from shared URLs (blog.nightly.mozilla.org)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by Linus_Torvalds@lemmy.world to c/firefox@lemmy.ml
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Currently still in Nightly and only on 'Copy Link'. Still nice progress though.

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[–] 4am@lemm.ee 59 points 10 months ago (3 children)

This may be difficult to maintain as some query parameters might be necessary. How will they be sure they’re not stripping essential elements? Won’t this become an arms race to mask tracking elements as “legitimate” looking parameters?

Awesome if they can pull it off, though.

[–] Stumblinbear@pawb.social 56 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There are common, well-known tracking parameters that Google uses such as the ones starting with "utm_"

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

most of the time sharing utm links isn't helpful to the origin as if you copy a link from your email it'll have medium=email, but actually should now be medium=direct

[–] Stumblinbear@pawb.social 6 points 10 months ago

Anything is better than nothing. Besides, it's still useful because you can see where the original link was copied from, and you still have the referrer header

[–] Orbituary@lemmy.world 28 points 10 months ago (1 children)

A uBlock style community sourced list would be a great way to address this. Once it's in prod, an addon would be next.

[–] H3wastooshort@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There already is an addon called ClearURLs

[–] Orbituary@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Thanks!

[–] NounsAndWords@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Won’t this become an arms race to mask tracking elements as “legitimate” looking parameters?

Maybe, but only like 3% of people are using Firefox so, maybe not?

[–] mina@berlin.social 2 points 10 months ago

@NounsAndWords
At least in Germany, it's about 10%.
@4am