Lately I’ve noticed some mainstream sites injection tracking links into literally every link on their site.

When I hover over it, it shows the correct link at the bottom of my browser, but if I click it or copy it, it takes me to a hijacked tracker link.

Then I can’t even get the original link without having my activity tracked.

How do I get the original link that appears at the bottom of my browser?

  • helenslunch@feddit.nlOP
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    10 months ago

    It removes the trackers from the ends of URLs

    These are not tracking links in the conventional sense where they append tracking data to the legitimate link. They just hijack the link that someone else posts and replace it with an entirely new tracking link with a l.facebook.com domain.

    No link cleaning software I have found works because of this.

    • F_Haxhausen@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Maybe don’t use Facebook or any other site that does this?

      I’ve been told this is an unreasonable solution.

      • L3ft_F13ld!@links.hackliberty.org
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        10 months ago

        It’s a solution. Sadly, it doesn’t solve the problem in a way that satisfies the OP. So, yeah. Not really a resonable solution for OP or most people.

      • helenslunch@feddit.nlOP
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        10 months ago

        Not helpful, thanks.

        Not really going to justify my usage but suffice it to say my business is largely dependent on networking with the people who are active on social media.

        Twitter and Reddit I am “read only” via Stealth and Squawker.

        • 𝐘Ⓞz҉@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          Its a private company and whatever their users post is their property so they can do anything they want with it. As someone else suggested to stop using Facebook, if you can’t then please stop complaining.

    • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      10 months ago

      That sounds more like malware then. Links from Twitter shouldn’t have any Facebook tracking info.

      Check your browser for any extensions that you don’t recognise, and if you’re on Windows, download and run the free version of Malwarebytes.

      • Limitless_screaming@kbin.social
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        10 months ago

        The site itself; Facebook, Reddit, or Twitter sends you to a subdomain that then redirects you to the link you clicked. Sometimes used to check the url and warn you if it’s malicious or if it’s linking to another website, but it’s usually used for tracking as well.

        • Nyfure@kbin.social
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          10 months ago

          try SkipRedirect, can break some things though, but rare.
          Only works for hijacked links where the extension can grab the original link somehow of course.

          For general Ad Links, there is FastForward, though i feel it hasnt been on the same level of maintenance since UniversalBypass closed down and they forked it.

        • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          10 months ago

          They just hijack the link that someone else posts and replace it with an entirely new tracking link with a l.facebook.com domain

          This bit confused me. I thought OP meant that it was the same link every time. The downside of text based forums like this - it removes a lot of nuance and leaves room for misunderstanding.

      • helenslunch@feddit.nlOP
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        10 months ago

        Links from Twitter shouldn’t have any Facebook tracking info

        That’s not what I’m saying.

        • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          10 months ago

          They just hijack the link that someone else posts and replace it with an entirely new tracking link with a l.facebook.com domain

          So this isn’t Facebook on every occasion then, it’s related to the site you’re visiting? If so, the extension will hopefully fix it :)

          • helenslunch@feddit.nlOP
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            10 months ago

            No it’s not, you misread my statement. It’s regarding the type of link and not the site itself.