[mdlug] $80 Laptop

[Bob]

Firefox has an option when right clicking on the address bar to copy the 
URL without the tracking info.

Bob

On 1/3/24 1:33PM, Aaron Kulkis wrote:
> Depends on what sort of info is after the ? character.
>
> On Sat, Dec 30, 2023, 19:49 Robert James Fulner<fulner at alumni.nmu.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Gib,
>>
>> Concerning
>>
>>> (I'm not sure why it has a really
>>> long URL):
>>> Gib,
>> Concerning
>>> (I'm not sure why it has a really
>>> long URL):
>>>
>>>
>> It's because the URL you shared includes a bunch of tracking
>> information. This is the most common reason you see long Urls these
>> days.
>>
>> A shorter link like
>>
>>
>> https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Smartphones-Surveillances-Cameras-Tablets/dp/B0CM8V6Q2Q/
>>
>> would also get the same webpage.
>>
>> The URL you shared
>>
>> https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Smartphones-Surveillances-Cameras-Tablets/dp/B0CM8V6Q2Q/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3QLTT8DGYX1N9&keywords=micro%2Bsd%2Bcard&qid=1703815330&s=electronics&sprefix=micro%2Bsd%2Bcard%2Celectronics%2C141&sr=1-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1
>>
>> Includes information that let's Amazon know, among other things, that your
>> search Sting included "MicroSD card", you limited your search using the
>> ELECTRONICS drop down menu, and you clicked on a SPONSORED link from the
>> search results there of .  I think some of that may even include a search
>> ID so Amazon can identify the particular search that is referenced again,
>> but whether by you accessing a book mark, or us accessing the link in the
>> mail.
>>
>> If you had shared the same link via a surveillance capitalist social media
>> platform, like Facebook or Twitter, they would add their own social
>> tracking on top of that to help them track what links to outside their
>> platform are being accessed and, at least in theory, use such data to
>> negotiate contracts for compensation between at form and retailer.
>>
>> If you want to share without the tracking info, usually it's just removing
>> the text after the ? but in this case it's after the Steing "ref". If you
>> do I recommend ensuring you try the link directly before you do. There are
>> also URL Cleaners, such as add-ons for your web browser or apps for your
>> smartphone, and I've heard some platforms like GNU Social, or browsers like
>> DDG, automatically strip such data before passing it to the next server,
>> but I have never looked into that.
>>
>> Like many such things online there's debate whether we should limit it to
>> ensure users' privacy or encourage it to give data to developers to be able
>> to continue to improve functionality and provide additional funding
>> mechanism so capitalists can continue to provide gratis services or keep
>> low retail prices.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> Sent from my Smartphone please dismiss no-so-smart-typos
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Sent from my SmartPhone please dismiss not-so-smart typos
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