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 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years 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 2 years 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 57 points 2 years 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 2 years 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 2 years 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 2 years 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 2 years ago (1 children)

There already is an addon called ClearURLs

[–] NounsAndWords@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years 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 2 years ago

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