7 ms·

Google Search Referrers Disappear In iOS 6

153 points by Shooti 14y ago

Kesty 14y ago
This will badly reflects on analytics softwares if you have a heavy mobile website.
Judson 14y ago
The last line of the article: > However, it does seem like this issue is specific with Google. So I suspect it is either a bug on Google’s side (or a feature). If this is what he suspects, why does he phrase the title as if it is something in iOS 6 that is causing the issue.
- raphinou 14y ago
  Well, the referer is set by the browser, so it is the browser that it not setting said HEADER. I'm not sure it is mandatory to be set either [1], so it might be correct correct behaviour according to the spec, even though it's not what might be expected. [1] http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14.36 http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14...
- artursapek 14y ago
  To get people to click!
- smackfu 14y ago
  If it's new to iOS 6 vs iOS 5, then it's clearly something that changed in iOS 6.
  - Judson 14y ago
    I agree with the logic for sure - My point is more about using the active verb "Removes", as if iOS 6 gets really close to passing the referer header, but removes it at the last second. Maybe something like "omits" or "doesn't pass" would have been more true to the story - but I understand a writer needing to have a catchy title.
  - tedunangst 14y ago
    Default search site changed to be SSL. Are we really complaining that's a bad thing?
    - mitchty 14y ago
      Lately if its anything Apple related it seems to be interpreted as a bad thing. It is getting tiresome.
- sullivandanny 14y ago
  Good point. I've edited the headline to make it clearer.
pilif 14y ago
I would assume this is caused by the search bar now using the SSL version of Google. The "fix" is "easy": If you want referrer data, offer your site over SSL or use the Google Webmaster tools (I don't know whether there is an API to get to that data). Browsers don't send a referrer header if the referring site is SSL and the target site is not. This has always been the case even on the desktop.
- olalonde 14y ago
  Yep, that's what the RFC says. http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2616#section-15.1.3 http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2616#section-15.1.3 "Clients SHOULD NOT include a Referer header field in a (non-secure) HTTP request if the referring page was transferred with a secure protocol."
  - jimktrains2 14y ago
    Doesn't it also say not to send refer data to different domains? I'm trying to find docs for that. EDIT: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141641 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141641 Maybe I'm wrong but that seems to be what some browsers do/did.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
    - olalonde 14y ago
      Sending referer data to different domains is always allowed for non-secure URLs (otherwise, web analytics would be pretty boring). For secure URLs however, the browser should only send referer data if the destination page is also secure, regardless of domain.
      - dmayle 14y ago
        That makes no sense, and defeats some of the protection of SSL. If you're on a secure site, there should be no referrer sent cross-domain, or cross-protocol.
olalonde 14y ago
Unrelated but I just learned that "referer" is a misspelling of "referrer" but we still use the former term as it is set in stone by the HTTP standard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_referer#Origin_of_the_term_referer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_referer#Origin_of_the_term...
thowar2 14y ago
Referrer data still seems to be sent when I go to http://www.whatismyreferer.com/ http://www.whatismyreferer.com/ from the SSL version of Google on my desktop. In fact, I did the exact same thing but with the User-Agent set to iOS 6. No referrer data. This is a problem on Google's side.
- taf2 14y ago
  That's right and while it's up to google - there is an unfortunate consequence that a very large analytics industry exists and funds thousands if not millions of jobs - not saying this won't have an impact on that industry would be short sighted - I am of the belief that if you don't want to be track there is one very simple solution turn off your computer.
  - bad_user 14y ago
    Think of the children too. Personally I couldn't care less if some people lose jobs. SEO in general is all about gaming the algorithms of search engines to gain an unfair advantage. A search engine that needs SEO to get to the front page is a broken search engine. And because Google has the incentive and the resources to constantly improve it, an industry built around the deficiencies of a search engine is doomed for extinction from the start. Of course, SEO is not the only reason for why some companies need analytics. But for all the other reasons, they should do what good businesses have always done and actually talk to their customers or potential customers, instead of looking in the records of their referrers, which often contains the deepest desires of people without them realizing that the data in question will be released. if you don't want to be track there is one very simple solution turn off your computer. These kind of statements kind of make my blood boil and I'm trying really hard to contain my anger. As to your statement, you're saying it like it's an option to turn off the computer. Well, that's not an option anymore for many people, and it's increasingly clear that we're going to depend on computers connected to the Internet for everything, like for doing our shopping, for paying our bills, for communicating with others and for being able to do our jobs. It's enough to say that privacy is a fundamental right that people should always keep fighting for and for which eternal vigilance is required. And if there ever was a time in history when people truly had privacy, that was only because some people fought for it. Totalitarian states never needed high-tech, like interconnected computers or street video cameras with face recognition and GPS chips implants and all that crap, all they needed was for people to turn on each other, so the Internet is not even a prerequisite, but human stupidity and shortsightedness is.
ftwinnovations 14y ago
From my iOS6 4S p: https://www.google.com?q=referer https://www.google.com?q=referer and then click to www.whatismyreferer.com- no referer as expected. http://www.google.com?q=referer http://www.google.com?q=referer and then click to www.whatismyreferer.com - a valid referer as expected. Nothing to see here folks.
- mikeryan 14y ago
  ironically if you follow this path in a desktop browser it bounces you through an HTTP url so the referrer is set. Contrary to the article it looks like Google is doing something different to iOS 6 users, not Apple. (note I have no idea if this is something specific to iOS users, it could be happening on Android as well - I'm not trying to attribute this to malice) EDIT: Just tried this on my nexus 7 and it also skips the http referer page, so I get the "no referer" message. it seems like something they do for mobile browsers?
  - ftwinnovations 14y ago
    I think you missed the point of the above demonstration a bit. It was meant to demonstration that iOS6 is acting completely normal. No referer is sent for https, and that is expected behavior. Google even went so far as to send out emails, blog posts to the analytics and the webmaster tools blogs, and G+ posts about it a while back so GA users would not be surprised as there referrer data decreased. For those missing refers we now have to use the Webmaster Tools and try to piece the data together a bit.
    - mikeryan 14y ago
      I think you missed my point. If I go to the https link above via a desktop browser, and see the results page (also https) with "What's my referrer" on it and click the link Google doesn't take me directly to the site, the link for "What's my referrer" is (not https) http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDoQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatismyreferer.com%2F&ei=NHdkUPv8HIGWiAKWzoCYDA&usg=AFQjCNFt-KMqneTZfEb6OxjPZlD4ogiJcQ http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&#... Which then redirects me to whatismyreferer.com so that whatismyreferer gets a google referer. Apparently for whatever reason if you do that on iOS6 the search results takes you directly to whatismyreferer.com without the redirect.
zalew 14y ago
it will possibly affect registration wall publishers who are open to google referals (like WSJ, NYT, etc.).
mikeryan 14y ago
This appears to be a mobile browser thing when searching google with https. Search https://www.google.com https://www.google.com in a desktop browser and you will get a results page where the links don't like you directly to the result page, they actually take you to an http redirect page which then forwards you to your final destination (which now gets a "google.com" referer. On my iPhone and my Nexus 7 if I do a search on https://www.google.com https://www.google.com the results page does not have the http redirect link. So the final destination does not get a referer. This seems to be a behavior on Google's side that is different for desktop and mobile browsers, there's nothing specific to Apple here.
qwertzlcoatl 14y ago
They updated the bottom of the article to read Postscript: At about 12:15pm EDT I now see referer data being passed from mobile Safari on iOS 6 via Google either signed in or signed out. I am not sure if this was a bug or something else but it does now seem to pass referer data. It even passes query data if you are signed in.
spo81rty 14y ago
As someone who spends a lot of time working on internet marketing, not getting the search terms due to this and all the other changes really stinks!

153 points by Shooti 14y ago

Kesty 14y ago

This will badly reflects on analytics softwares if you have a heavy mobile website.

The last line of the article: > However, it does seem like this issue is specific with Google. So I suspect it is either a bug on Google’s side (or a feature). If this is what he suspects, why does he phrase the title as if it is something in iOS 6 that is causing the issue.

raphinou 14y ago
Well, the referer is set by the browser, so it is the browser that it not setting said HEADER. I'm not sure it is mandatory to be set either [1], so it might be correct correct behaviour according to the spec, even though it's not what might be expected. [1] http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14.36 http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14...
artursapek 14y ago
To get people to click!
smackfu 14y ago
If it's new to iOS 6 vs iOS 5, then it's clearly something that changed in iOS 6.
- Judson 14y ago
  I agree with the logic for sure - My point is more about using the active verb "Removes", as if iOS 6 gets really close to passing the referer header, but removes it at the last second. Maybe something like "omits" or "doesn't pass" would have been more true to the story - but I understand a writer needing to have a catchy title.
- tedunangst 14y ago
  Default search site changed to be SSL. Are we really complaining that's a bad thing?
  - mitchty 14y ago
    Lately if its anything Apple related it seems to be interpreted as a bad thing. It is getting tiresome.
sullivandanny 14y ago
Good point. I've edited the headline to make it clearer.

pilif 14y ago

I would assume this is caused by the search bar now using the SSL version of Google. The "fix" is "easy": If you want referrer data, offer your site over SSL or use the Google Webmaster tools (I don't know whether there is an API to get to that data). Browsers don't send a referrer header if the referring site is SSL and the target site is not. This has always been the case even on the desktop.

olalonde 14y ago
Yep, that's what the RFC says. http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2616#section-15.1.3 http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2616#section-15.1.3 "Clients SHOULD NOT include a Referer header field in a (non-secure) HTTP request if the referring page was transferred with a secure protocol."
- jimktrains2 14y ago
  Doesn't it also say not to send refer data to different domains? I'm trying to find docs for that. EDIT: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141641 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141641 Maybe I'm wrong but that seems to be what some browsers do/did.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  - olalonde 14y ago
    Sending referer data to different domains is always allowed for non-secure URLs (otherwise, web analytics would be pretty boring). For secure URLs however, the browser should only send referer data if the destination page is also secure, regardless of domain.
    - dmayle 14y ago
      That makes no sense, and defeats some of the protection of SSL. If you're on a secure site, there should be no referrer sent cross-domain, or cross-protocol.

olalonde 14y ago

Unrelated but I just learned that "referer" is a misspelling of "referrer" but we still use the former term as it is set in stone by the HTTP standard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_referer#Origin_of_the_term_referer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_referer#Origin_of_the_term...

thowar2 14y ago

Referrer data still seems to be sent when I go to http://www.whatismyreferer.com/ http://www.whatismyreferer.com/ from the SSL version of Google on my desktop. In fact, I did the exact same thing but with the User-Agent set to iOS 6. No referrer data. This is a problem on Google's side.

taf2 14y ago
That's right and while it's up to google - there is an unfortunate consequence that a very large analytics industry exists and funds thousands if not millions of jobs - not saying this won't have an impact on that industry would be short sighted - I am of the belief that if you don't want to be track there is one very simple solution turn off your computer.
- bad_user 14y ago
  Think of the children too. Personally I couldn't care less if some people lose jobs. SEO in general is all about gaming the algorithms of search engines to gain an unfair advantage. A search engine that needs SEO to get to the front page is a broken search engine. And because Google has the incentive and the resources to constantly improve it, an industry built around the deficiencies of a search engine is doomed for extinction from the start. Of course, SEO is not the only reason for why some companies need analytics. But for all the other reasons, they should do what good businesses have always done and actually talk to their customers or potential customers, instead of looking in the records of their referrers, which often contains the deepest desires of people without them realizing that the data in question will be released. if you don't want to be track there is one very simple solution turn off your computer. These kind of statements kind of make my blood boil and I'm trying really hard to contain my anger. As to your statement, you're saying it like it's an option to turn off the computer. Well, that's not an option anymore for many people, and it's increasingly clear that we're going to depend on computers connected to the Internet for everything, like for doing our shopping, for paying our bills, for communicating with others and for being able to do our jobs. It's enough to say that privacy is a fundamental right that people should always keep fighting for and for which eternal vigilance is required. And if there ever was a time in history when people truly had privacy, that was only because some people fought for it. Totalitarian states never needed high-tech, like interconnected computers or street video cameras with face recognition and GPS chips implants and all that crap, all they needed was for people to turn on each other, so the Internet is not even a prerequisite, but human stupidity and shortsightedness is.

ftwinnovations 14y ago

From my iOS6 4S p: https://www.google.com?q=referer https://www.google.com?q=referer and then click to www.whatismyreferer.com- no referer as expected. http://www.google.com?q=referer http://www.google.com?q=referer and then click to www.whatismyreferer.com - a valid referer as expected. Nothing to see here folks.

mikeryan 14y ago
ironically if you follow this path in a desktop browser it bounces you through an HTTP url so the referrer is set. Contrary to the article it looks like Google is doing something different to iOS 6 users, not Apple. (note I have no idea if this is something specific to iOS users, it could be happening on Android as well - I'm not trying to attribute this to malice) EDIT: Just tried this on my nexus 7 and it also skips the http referer page, so I get the "no referer" message. it seems like something they do for mobile browsers?
- ftwinnovations 14y ago
  I think you missed the point of the above demonstration a bit. It was meant to demonstration that iOS6 is acting completely normal. No referer is sent for https, and that is expected behavior. Google even went so far as to send out emails, blog posts to the analytics and the webmaster tools blogs, and G+ posts about it a while back so GA users would not be surprised as there referrer data decreased. For those missing refers we now have to use the Webmaster Tools and try to piece the data together a bit.
  - mikeryan 14y ago
    I think you missed my point. If I go to the https link above via a desktop browser, and see the results page (also https) with "What's my referrer" on it and click the link Google doesn't take me directly to the site, the link for "What's my referrer" is (not https) http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDoQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatismyreferer.com%2F&ei=NHdkUPv8HIGWiAKWzoCYDA&usg=AFQjCNFt-KMqneTZfEb6OxjPZlD4ogiJcQ http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&#... Which then redirects me to whatismyreferer.com so that whatismyreferer gets a google referer. Apparently for whatever reason if you do that on iOS6 the search results takes you directly to whatismyreferer.com without the redirect.

zalew 14y ago

it will possibly affect registration wall publishers who are open to google referals (like WSJ, NYT, etc.).

mikeryan 14y ago

This appears to be a mobile browser thing when searching google with https. Search https://www.google.com https://www.google.com in a desktop browser and you will get a results page where the links don't like you directly to the result page, they actually take you to an http redirect page which then forwards you to your final destination (which now gets a "google.com" referer. On my iPhone and my Nexus 7 if I do a search on https://www.google.com https://www.google.com the results page does not have the http redirect link. So the final destination does not get a referer. This seems to be a behavior on Google's side that is different for desktop and mobile browsers, there's nothing specific to Apple here.

qwertzlcoatl 14y ago

They updated the bottom of the article to read Postscript: At about 12:15pm EDT I now see referer data being passed from mobile Safari on iOS 6 via Google either signed in or signed out. I am not sure if this was a bug or something else but it does now seem to pass referer data. It even passes query data if you are signed in.

spo81rty 14y ago

As someone who spends a lot of time working on internet marketing, not getting the search terms due to this and all the other changes really stinks!