Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#11

Post by aequitas » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:23 AM UTC

alexf95 wrote: post #4

Can someone further explain "ClearURLs has made it to its mission to prevent tracking via URLs and that's how Google makes money"? How exactly does the tracking via URLs work for Google?

If you search in Google, the links in the results don't directly link to the result page but through a Google redirect. Really annoying if you want to copy/paste a result without visiting. CleanURL fixes this. So that might be what referred here.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#12

Post by qwerty456127 » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:24 AM UTC

No problem as long as it's available elsewhere, is it? As to popularity - this mere news will probably bring more new users than Google store did in quite a period of time.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#13

Post by shilgapira » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:25 AM UTC

Well it turns out that I just installed this addon on Firefox yesterday after hearing about it here or on Reddit.

This move does well to reinforce my loyalty to Firefox as my main browser. Hopefully it has the same effect on others.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#14

Post by alexf95 » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:25 AM UTC

aequitas wrote: post #11

alexf95 wrote: post #4

Can someone further explain "ClearURLs has made it to its mission to prevent tracking via URLs and that's how Google makes money"? How exactly does the tracking via URLs work for Google?

If you search in Google, the links in the results don't directly link to the result page but through a Google redirect. Really annoying if you want to copy/paste a result without visiting. CleanURL fixes this. So that might be what referred here.

Oh I see what you are saying thanks.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#15

Post by agilob » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:26 AM UTC

alexf95 wrote: post #4

Can someone further explain "ClearURLs has made it to its mission to prevent tracking via URLs and that's how Google makes money"? How exactly does the tracking via URLs work for Google?

I use NeatURL where description says:

Before:

http www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Ioquake3-Auto-Updater&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Phoronix+(Phoronix)

After:

http www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Ioquake3-Auto-Updater

It removed unnecessary, known tracking code from URL before visiting the URL so origin of click isn't known to advertisers and trackers.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#16

Post by alexf95 » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:27 AM UTC

mcc1ane wrote: post #6

alexf95 wrote: post #4

Can someone further explain "ClearURLs has made it to its mission to prevent tracking via URLs and that's how Google makes money"? How exactly does the tracking via URLs work for Google?

https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon/blob/master/README.md

Hmm, intresting. Didn't think it would be basically "everywhere". Understandable though that i got disabled by Google.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#17

Post by g_p » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:27 AM UTC

It looks like the developer may be in the EU. If they offer the add-on as a business, it may be worth looking at if any of the internet rights legal groups will help take the case up under the 2019 EU platform rules.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32...

These make various requirements around how Google act, and include requirements around removing products from platforms.

As an aside, it seems crazy that we allow platforms to take action when in positions of such clear conflict of interest, but that seems to be the way of the tech sector.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#18

Post by qwerty456127 » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:28 AM UTC

elktea wrote: post #2

anyone using this site that still uses chrome, why?

I use Chrome on a slower PC. Although Chrome consumes more RAM than Firefox does, it actually feels noticeably faster on any PC. On old slow PCs (and mobiles) this makes a hell of difference. Firefox became usable again when it abandoned XUL (for some years before that it was pure torment to use so I had no choice but to switch to Chrome) but still isn't as fast as Chrome is. I only use Firefox happily on faster PCs.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#19

Post by queueworker » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:29 AM UTC

elktea wrote: post #2

anyone using this site that still uses chrome, why?

better devtools compared to any other browser is what keeps me on Chrome

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#20

Post by brnt » Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 8:29 AM UTC

agilob wrote: post #15

alexf95 wrote: post #4

Can someone further explain "ClearURLs has made it to its mission to prevent tracking via URLs and that's how Google makes money"? How exactly does the tracking via URLs work for Google?

I use NeatURL where description says: Before: http www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Ioquake3-Auto-Updater&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Phoronix+(Phoronix) After: http www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Ioquake3-Auto-Updater It removed unnecessary, known tracking code from URL before visiting the URL so origin of click isn't known to advertisers and trackers.

For some websites, I've discovered that setting utm_medium let me read their paywalled articles.

So, they're not always useless ;)