I wish more people clean URLs before sharing it to others. - Lemmy
lemmy.ml
external-link
I see a lot of people, including friends and family, sharing URLs rife with tracking parameters. I feel alone in making sure that I’m sharing the cleanest possible URLs to others. For example, checking if the URLs are shortened to hide plenty of tracking params. Just need to vent, thanks for reading. Edit: adding some context for future references. By using url tracking params, tech companies can track who shares the content and who clicks on that specific shared urls. A simple but effective tracking method. Try sharing Instagram post or YouTube video from the apps. Instagram adds ‘igshid=’ . YouTube adds ‘si=’. If you share the same IG or YouTube content from different accounts. The ‘igshid’, ‘si’ value will be different. This can be used to tag who shares it, and who clicks on that specific url param value. TikTok hides a ton of such params behind shortened url. Try expanding tiktok shared urls. If you use android, use this app to expand, analyze and clean up urls https://github.com/TrianguloY/UrlChecker [https://github.com/TrianguloY/UrlChecker] If you use Firefox (you should), install ublock origin and add this url tracking filter maintained by adguard: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/FiltersRegistry/master/filters/filter_17_TrackParam/filter.txt [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/FiltersRegistry/master/filters/filter_17_TrackParam/filter.txt]

I see a lot of people, including friends and family, sharing URLs rife with tracking parameters.

I feel alone in making sure that I’m sharing the cleanest possible URLs to others. For example, checking if the URLs are shortened to hide plenty of tracking params.

Just need to vent, thanks for reading.

Edit: adding some context for future references.

By using url tracking params, tech companies can track who shares the content and who clicks on that specific shared urls. A simple but effective tracking method.

Try sharing Instagram post or YouTube video from the apps.

Instagram adds ‘igshid=’ . YouTube adds ‘si=’.

If you share the same IG or YouTube content from different accounts. The ‘igshid’, ‘si’ value will be different.

This can be used to tag who shares it, and who clicks on that specific url param value.

TikTok hides a ton of such params behind shortened url. Try expanding tiktok shared urls.

If you use android, use this app to expand, analyze and clean up urls https://github.com/TrianguloY/UrlChecker

If you use Firefox (you should), install ublock origin and add this url tracking filter maintained by adguard: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/FiltersRegistry/master/filters/filter_17_TrackParam/filter.txt

That’s terrible advice, you’d just be left with

https://youtube.com/watch

You need the “?v=” and the jumble of letters immediately after.

For example: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Wait shit you’re right. I’m too used to the mobile links that have the ID after the slash

XcQ, link stays blue

That’s terrible advice, […]

Is it really? It reliably protects people from all the garbage content on youtube.

TomatoCake
link
fedilink
109M

They’re talking about the query param that gets added when using the Share button: https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=dwX01vG-EivlOoYe - the ?si=… should be removed.

@lud@lemm.ee
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39M

That shit is so annoying and they just started to add it.

@PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks
bot account
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fedilink
19M

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=dwX01vG-EivlOoYe

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.

I have memorized this link so I know what is rickroll without opening it.

already too much work for normies

@PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks
bot account
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fedilink
149M

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/watch

https://piped.video/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.

Now that is even better! That is clean! :-D

Create a post

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

  • Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn’t great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
  • Don’t promote proprietary software
  • Try to keep things on topic
  • If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
  • Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
  • Be nice :)

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