Unping all the links!

[Tuxman]

In April 2019, Chrome-based browsers lost their ability to disable hyperlink tracking, resulting in major security/privacy problems.

I wrote a Chrome extension that removes hyperlink trackers right from the HTML code.

Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/unping-all-the-links/dcjpehalmoajcikojdkmfgncbbgadkkj
Code repository: https://hub.darcs.net/dertuxmalwieder/unping_all_links

Enjoy.

[mouser]

oh nice!

[Deozaan]

I didn't know hidden pinging in links like that was a thing! Worrisome that all the major vendors are enabling it by default, with no way to disable it!

But there is some good news for folks who use Firefox or Brave:

Going forward, if privacy is important to you and you want to reduce the risk of being tracked online, then you will need to use Firefox or Brave.

[Tuxman]

I doubt that Mozilla won't change that. They even removed the "enable JavaScript" checkbox long ago, and they are continuously evaluating new ways to hurt your privacy.

[Deozaan]

Also, it looks like even though Vivaldi has it enabled by default, you can still disable it (for now):

vivaldi://flags/#disable-hyperlink-auditing

[Tuxman]

I assume that more and more Chromium-based browsers will get rid of that flag over time. Wait for 2020!

(I had not tested Vivaldi this time. I can confirm that my version - a recent(ish) beta - still has the flag.)

[4wd]

The latest version of Iridium, (based on Chrome v73), has it disabled by default.

Privacy enhancements

• Disable "Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors"
• Disable autocomplete through prediction service when typing in Omnibox
• Always send "Do-Not-Track" header
• Network/DNS prediction is disabled by default
• Block third-party cookies by default
• Link auditing (<a ping="...">) is disabled by default
• Fetch plugins list from iridiumbrowser.de where it will be updated regularly
• Site data (cookies, local storage, etc.) is only kept until exit, by default
• Passwords are not stored by default
• Input form autofill is disabled by default
• For IPv6 probes, use a DNS root server instead of Google
• The default search provider is Qwant
• Load "about:blank" on new tabs instead of the currently set search engine and/or promotions.
• Don't report Safe Browsing overrides.
• Don't use autofill download service.
• Disable cookies for safebrowsing background requests.
• Disable the battery status API.

[wraith808]

How is Iridium?  So many choices... all based on Chromium.

[4wd]

How is Iridium?

About all I can say is it works well since I currently have no real preference in a browser and have something like 8 of them on the machine and bounce between them all depending on the sites I'm visiting.

I did install it as the default on the wife's machine because Palemoon was becoming incompatible with the sites she used and with Iridium's predisposition towards privacy it meant I didn't need to trawl through its settings beforehand.

I haven't heard any screaming about anything not working so it passed that test.

It's available as a portable so it's easy enough to try it out.

[Tuxman]

It seems that I'll have to port the extension to Firefox...

https://www.ghacks.net/2019/04/20/mozilla-plans-to-enable-hyperlink-ping-tracking-by-default-in-firefox/

[4wd]

If you use (Grease|Tamper|Violent)Monkey then there's also Disable Hyperlink Auditing which just removes the ping attribute from the tags.

Code: ( javascript)

// ==UserScript==
// @name         Disable Hyperlink Auditing
// @namespace    https://tech.jacenboy.com/hyperlink-auditing
// @version      1.0
// @description  A simple script that removes hyperlink auditing from all websites.
// @author       JacenBoy
// @match        http*://*/*
// @grant        none
// @run-at document-end
// ==/UserScript==

(function() {
    'use strict';

    var hyperlinks = Array.from(document.getElementsByTagName("a"));
    hyperlinks.forEach(a => {
        a.removeAttribute("ping");
    });
})();

[Tuxman]

That's what my extension does, but with less "first you'll have to install this other extension".

[4wd]

That's what my extension does, but with less "first you'll have to install this other extension".

Still, an alternative if you already run (x)Monkey with userscripts already.

[nickodemos]

Still, an alternative if you already run (x)Monkey with userscripts already.

Kinda how I feel since I use a Monkey clone as well. You should make one for FF as there are many people who do not use scripts.

[Tuxman]

Once Firefox disables it, I will.

[Tuxman]

Moved the repo over to Darcshub:
https://hub.darcs.net/dertuxmalwieder/unping_all_links