PSA: Tracking Data in Links
this is your semi-annual PSA that social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and video platforms (YouTube, etc) put tracking information into links when you export them. some are in the URLs, and some are in your account settings.
when you send me a link, and you don’t delete or disable the sharing info, I can see your account name, personal name, etc. I can see your profile pic / face too. if you’re trying to remain anonymous, this can reveal your personal information.
sometimes this happens even if you delete certain data in the URL etc.
many platforms have been testing this feature for years. they have given close to zero warning about when these changes are implemented. for example, YouTube never sent tracking information to the person opening your link — now as of mid 2026, it does.
some old links (not all) can now reveal this information. for example, a link in Discord from 2018 might now reveal more information than it did before.
I delete asks with links/shares that contain personal information unless I receive instructions that the anon/asker is okay with it being shared.
I do not view your profiles or information. I check your link, see the profile pop up, and promptly back out and delete.
I try to message/inform askers who accidentally send in this information so they’re aware. however, this is difficult when the ask is anonymous.
1. examine every link you share externally for tracking data (usually after a series of symbols (?=igs) or letters. a good test - delete everything after the ? in a url. can you still open it after? then it was tracking data.
2. review your social platforms and turn on privacy settings that protect yourself from links you’ve shared, and protect others from sharing with you.
3. send screenshots when you’re not certain a link is safe, or add lookup info (google “Bruce Wayne Day Off”, etc) so no link is needed.
4. be graceful when others inadvertently share information with you. don’t doxx them, don’t peek in their profiles, don’t go where you’re not welcome.
5. let others know when they might have shared personal information by accident and give them the opportunity to fix it quickly (i.e., don’t wait hours to ping them if you notice something)
6. critically evaluate how you use social media / video platforms on a constant basis, staying up to date on new features and how they impact your privacy.
bonus: why is this happening in the first place?
social and video platforms want to capitalize on social shares / connections to create tracking data to determine where their link is being shared, how far it’s shared, and by who.
it’s also an attempt to bring users back to platforms who may have left or reduced usage. sometimes this feature requires sign in when it didn’t previously (see, some TikTok links that aren’t viewable without logging in (and therefore sharing your data))
it reduces true anonymity online, in order to better comply with advertising standards / requirements. it’s also a product of ongoing legal issues surrounding 18+ content restrictions and how children are “protected” from accessing it.
it helps them better decide how they monetize content for creators too — for example, a person with a million followers may have 30% engagement rate, but if most of those views are from bots/unconnected accounts, they’re devalued.
the internet is losing anonymous spaces. don’t make it easier for these companies to do it.
