4 ms·

> On the one hand we have some companies trying to block things like tracker pixels and other static images for tracking purposes. Speaking of which, when you

by ilammy 4y ago

> On the one hand we have some companies trying to block things like tracker pixels and other static images for tracking purposes. Speaking of which, when you access Gmail via IMAP, Google replaces every URL in HTML email with a tracking link, having you go through their servers first before being redirected to where you actually want to go.

galdor 4y ago
I just checked for the two Gmail Workspace accounts I am reading using IMAP, and in both cases links are not altered. Does this replacement occurs for free Gmail accounts ?
- krastanov 4y ago
  Just checked my private one. No, nothing like that happens.
  - tpxl 4y ago
    This definitely sometimes happens and sometimes not, but I'm not sure when. I remember this happening recently on my private email (that I can't access atm), but I can't find any examples in my work email.
jgalt212 4y ago
Yes, this has been a concern, but so far we have only witnessed the link rewriting for clients using the gmail web application, not IMAP access. I'm counting on Google Workspace customers much larger than me to keep gmail in line.
alias_neo 4y ago
I've noticed that almost all links in emails I receive in Gmail for Android, redirect through a Google link first. I just checked and though click-and-hold shows the real link, if I tap to open, it actually opens "https://www.google.com/url?q=<original https://www.google.com/url?q=<original link>" in my browser. EDIT: This happens for both Workspace and normal "free" accounts.
- thisiscorrect 4y ago
  Is that redirect to avoid sending a referer header to server though? In other words, doesn't it actually prevent tracking?
  - dingleberry420 4y ago
    Native apps don't produce referer headers when opening a link in a browser.
  - JohnFen 4y ago
    But that wouldn't prevent tracking anyway. It would just mean all the tracking is done by Google.
    - thisiscorrect 4y ago
      But that could be done by other, less obvious means, if desired. Does this redirect add any new tracking abilities?
  - alias_neo 4y ago
    Yeah, it only prevents taking for non Google and gives them all of the tracking instead.
- h4waii 4y ago
  This is a huge annoyance. If you long press and select "Open in browser", this redirect doesn't seem to happen. I'd love for a Firefox Android extension to remove this, alas it doesn't seem to have been 'blessed by Mozilla' to be available on mobile. This shouldn't even be necessary. I get that Google already has the link cause it's in Gmail.
  - alias_neo 4y ago
    They do, but there's a different level of importance in tracking for just any link and a link you click.

by ilammy 4y ago

galdor 4y ago

I just checked for the two Gmail Workspace accounts I am reading using IMAP, and in both cases links are not altered. Does this replacement occurs for free Gmail accounts ?

krastanov 4y ago
Just checked my private one. No, nothing like that happens.
- tpxl 4y ago
  This definitely sometimes happens and sometimes not, but I'm not sure when. I remember this happening recently on my private email (that I can't access atm), but I can't find any examples in my work email.

jgalt212 4y ago

Yes, this has been a concern, but so far we have only witnessed the link rewriting for clients using the gmail web application, not IMAP access. I'm counting on Google Workspace customers much larger than me to keep gmail in line.

alias_neo 4y ago

I've noticed that almost all links in emails I receive in Gmail for Android, redirect through a Google link first. I just checked and though click-and-hold shows the real link, if I tap to open, it actually opens "https://www.google.com/url?q=<original https://www.google.com/url?q=<original link>" in my browser. EDIT: This happens for both Workspace and normal "free" accounts.

thisiscorrect 4y ago
Is that redirect to avoid sending a referer header to server though? In other words, doesn't it actually prevent tracking?
- dingleberry420 4y ago
  Native apps don't produce referer headers when opening a link in a browser.
- JohnFen 4y ago
  But that wouldn't prevent tracking anyway. It would just mean all the tracking is done by Google.
  - thisiscorrect 4y ago
    But that could be done by other, less obvious means, if desired. Does this redirect add any new tracking abilities?
- alias_neo 4y ago
  Yeah, it only prevents taking for non Google and gives them all of the tracking instead.
h4waii 4y ago
This is a huge annoyance. If you long press and select "Open in browser", this redirect doesn't seem to happen. I'd love for a Firefox Android extension to remove this, alas it doesn't seem to have been 'blessed by Mozilla' to be available on mobile. This shouldn't even be necessary. I get that Google already has the link cause it's in Gmail.
- alias_neo 4y ago
  They do, but there's a different level of importance in tracking for just any link and a link you click.