cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/31187638

Earlier today I came across a Reddit comment with a link to an Instagram post. The link had ?igsh= at the end.

When I clicked on the link, I got this popup. It had a name and profile photo that was different from that of the post being shared.

Join Firstname Lastname on Instagram

See photos, videos, and more from Firstname Lastname.

[ Open Instagram ]

not now

I avoid link trackers. However, I did not realize it was this bad.

To my knowledge, TikTok does the same thing and lists the name of the person that shared the link. Assuming this increases engagement, any website could enable such a feature, even on old links that you shared in the past.

You should manually remove any trackers before sharing, or use an app for it.

  • tb_@lemmy.world
    15·
    1 month ago

    uBlock Origin also has a filter built-in, though you have to enable it. It’s under Filter Lists > Privacy > AdGuard URL Tracking Protection

    • JadenSmith
      4·
      1 month ago

      Thank you, I had no idea. Already had uBlock Origin on my phone (FF), so that’s one less extension needed. Works perfectly!

      • tb_@lemmy.world
        1·
        10 days ago

        I assume it blocks something from loading, but I wouldn’t exactly know. I haven’t looked into it.