this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2023
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No need to remove the URL tracking parameters manually. ๐Ÿฅณ

Firefox copy link without site tracking

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[โ€“] [email protected] 152 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Or a setting that makes it the default.

I don't like any software I use to destroy data (even tracking data) without my say so.

[โ€“] [email protected] 46 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Hmm, I agree with you 100%, but power of defaults is how big companies get average consumers. Maybe Firefox should make it default with a setting to turn it on?

A setting titled "allow copying of tracking data", a lot of people won't allow.

Fight fire with fire.

[โ€“] [email protected] -4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

This just:

  1. Encourages companies to try to work around it

  2. More importantly, possibly breaks important functionality

[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

It's like saying GDPR encourages companies to try work around data protection, so it should not be implemented.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's not like that at all.

Links support parameters for a reason, and I promise you that the main reason isn't tracking. They can convey important info like the language, search parameters, a specific comment, etc.

Removing them willy-nilly by default is going to cause issue sooner or later, and then people are going to blame Firefox for "not working" and are just gonna switch to Chrome because "it just works".

That's not what we want is it?

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

As I understand now it removes only limited set of query strings

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Yeah but the list is hardcoded. Collisions can happen.

Also, since it's hardcoded, it's easily gameable, and it will be gamed if too many people start filtering them out.

It's a good start but a bad solution overall

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

The trackers can be renamed to anything that's regularly used in other places.

Pushing to make this a default will only harm the small minority that might be enjoying the benefits right now.

At least with the current way it's set up.

[โ€“] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Opt-out then, the majority won't care

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you wanted to do this and make it default, I believe you should be able to do so using userChrome.css. You won't be able to change the text, but you can remove the old menu item.

[โ€“] sugar_in_your_tea 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I'm unlikely to use the menu button, I generally use Ctrl+C/Cmd+C. I'll have to poke around and see if there's an option to set that shortcut.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think you would be able to do this as ctrl+c copies what is highlighted rather than the actual link.

[โ€“] sugar_in_your_tea 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I just want a shortcut for "copy without tracking" on the current tab instead of having to use the context menu. I'm fine with it not being "Ctrl+C," as long as it's reasonably easy to remember, like maybe "Ctrl+Shift+C" or even a sequence of commands (i.e. select address bar, then special copy command).

Likewise, there should be an easy way to open a link without trackers, like "Ctrl+shift+click" or something.