“copy link without site tracking”

Topic

New Reply

Recent updates of Firefox have a new item in the context menu that displays on right-clicking a link other than a bookmark.  Some chatter on the Mozilla blog and perhaps elsewhere disparages it as offering no real privacy advantage, as sites track users when they open and view them, so the link itself is not the culprit for those wishing not to be tracked.

Any forum members have any clarity on this?

Reply | Quote

Replies

I don’t have anything specific to FF and the right click option you mention, but my general opinion is that any browser that offers an option for so-called privacy mode is not enforcing true privacy by preventing tracking but rather is simply issuing a request to websites that you visit that they not track you.

And how often do you think that request will be honored?

I’m not taking pot shots at FF, just at the entities that are exercising their voyueristic tendencies by snooping/tracking on everyone.

But like @Slowpoke47, I too would be interested in hearing from forum members about the “copy link without site tracking” right click option.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Slowpoke47

Reply | Quote

I suppose @DrBonzo is referring to plain old private browsing or options like ‘Send websites a “Do Not Track” request’ or ‘Tell websites not to sell or share my data’. I have no doubt there are many sites that don’t honor those settings. But until I have proof that absolutely 100% of sites don’t honor them, I’ll keep them turned on. If nothing else, I feel like I’m showing my appreciation to good site devs who chose (and were allowed by higher ups) to design theirs correctly.

Meanwhile, I see Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection in Strict mode blocking something on almost every site I visit (except AskWoody) – the shield in the address bar turns purple and can be clicked to find out what trackers are present and which were blocked and which were allowed. I rarely find a site has been broken by this – Mozilla seems to be trying to provide as much privacy as possible without harming functionality.

But, back on topic: I’ve tried ‘Copy Link Without Site Tracking’ when I saw a link with appended parameters and I couldn’t work out what they’re for. So far, I haven’t yet noticed it remove anything from the URL. Perhaps all that means is that those parameters weren’t considered to be trackers.

Here’s a little experiment. I searched for a product on Amazon, and once on the product page I copied the URL from the address bar:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-IRONSTONE-Firewood-Adjustable-Accessories/dp/B09B3FSMDT/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1Q3L8K6UJC4YS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A_mTDBRw88UzYzj7AnKXNsmypFwcEKWu_354rn8WOOn9xkOi0KeGv81SfTvlTic7JPsEf1qBrzb5gPz7EQXaE-9pPcuiDdGyxczkxUk19SvuojMTG3_qiRCkcMSDU-7qiXPh1apMyg5gBS3ieI6sw0fhZ6uzR2XhjEJ9tK97rSA8h-lFJrn9B6XX-TZa0Q_JcDO4c56DKzmlrncGHwARngbDZ7lk0XQPzpygKJ1K02iCwUR4dKuwL8qsqVDuleOZ8wnmWPkzuTHtqKeGCRB-2TK4Ij0KeDuLL3Gv4VGFMnA.87xAsUVAFlVawt_aar7finUfx3-uGMDfgvHYUtFobhY&dib_tag=se&keywords=firewood+bracket&qid=1707915339&sprefix=firewood+bracket,aps,85&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Then I right-clicked it and chose ‘Copy Without Site Tracking’:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-IRONSTONE-Firewood-Adjustable-Accessories/dp/B09B3FSMDT/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1Q3L8K6UJC4YS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A_mTDBRw88UzYzj7AnKXNsmypFwcEKWu_354rn8WOOn9xkOi0KeGv81SfTvlTic7JPsEf1qBrzb5gPz7EQXaE-9pPcuiDdGyxczkxUk19SvuojMTG3_qiRCkcMSDU-7qiXPh1apMyg5gBS3ieI6sw0fhZ6uzR2XhjEJ9tK97rSA8h-lFJrn9B6XX-TZa0Q_JcDO4c56DKzmlrncGHwARngbDZ7lk0XQPzpygKJ1K02iCwUR4dKuwL8qsqVDuleOZ8wnmWPkzuTHtqKeGCRB-2TK4Ij0KeDuLL3Gv4VGFMnA.87xAsUVAFlVawt_aar7finUfx3-uGMDfgvHYUtFobhY&dib_tag=se&qid=1707915339&sprefix=firewood+bracket,aps,85&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

As you can see, very little was removed. Just these two:

&keywords=firewood+bracket
&sr=8-3-spons

Meanwhile, here’s all you really need to open the same product page:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-IRONSTONE-Firewood-Adjustable-Accessories/dp/B09B3FSMDT/

Maybe the rest aren’t tracking parameters. Maybe some are and the feature will get better with time. (It’s only been around for a few months – see release notes.) Maybe Mozilla are playing it very conservative. Maybe all of these.

2 users thanked author for this post.

DrBonzo, Slowpoke47

Reply | Quote

I wasn’t suggesting turning any privacy settings off. Just saying that I wouldn’t get my hopes up that privacy settings are always going to work.

Reply | Quote

Hi Slowpoke47:

Keep in mind that not all URLs include a tracking parameter.  See the example in Helios-6’s post in Dwedit’s “Copy Link Without Site Tracking” doesn’t actually do anything? in the reddit Firefox forum.

According to other posts in that reddit topic the uBlock Origin browser extension and other content blockers that include an anti-tracking feature already strip off tracking parameters if they are appended to a link.  That means that you might not notice the difference between “Copy Link” and “Copy Link Without Site Tracking” if you have installed a content blocker like uBlock Origin in your browser.
————-
Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3930 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23110.3-1.1.23110.2 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.8.311-1.0.2259 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Firefox v122.0.1 * Microsoft Edge v121.0.2277.112 * uBlock Origin v1.55.0 * Malwarebytes Browser Guard v2.6.17

6 users thanked author for this post.

WCHS, DrBonzo, Microfix, bbearren, Slowpoke47, SB9K

Reply | Quote

We run uBlock Origin for adware protection- nice to know it removes trackers as well.

Online privacy is a significant concern here- once I learned about Google’s invasive modus operandi some years back, we stopped using anything G-related, including Gmail, Chrome, Youtube, Search, and other Google tentacles that don’t come immediately to mind.  There are alternatives to all of them that don’t invade your privacy.

A lower online profile will help prevent a user from being hacked and from the ensuing consequences.  You cannot get un-hacked.

Reply | Quote