When I copy it I get a lengthened link. It has the destination URL in a query string, along with a "ved" value which includes a bunch of information about the l

When I copy it I get a lengthened link. It has the destination URL in a query string, along with a "ved" value which includes a bunch of information about the link that you clicked on: https://moz.com/blog/inside-googles-ved-parameter https://moz.com/blog/inside-googles-ved-parameter If you're looking in your browser's status bar when you hover the link, Google is manually displaying the end destination URL. The link doesn't actually go there directly. This is using Firefox while not signed in to a Google account. If you're really getting direct links, perhaps if you're signed in or using Chrome they give you real links and track you by other means instead.