What are your thoughts on such trackers (in general)
This might be it, not 100% sure.
https://www.steamgifts.com/account/settings/referrals
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That is a user referral link to help invite more users to the site, which has pretty much been a thing. This wouldn't be the issue. OP is specifically talking about the "...utm_source=SteamGifts" part in the URL when you click something like a Steam store page link for a game. Serves a different purpose.
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uBO can strip tracking query params in URLs. I believe it's already included in one of the "privacy" filters, something like:
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Cheers, been using uBO but didn't look into it too much. Tried a few ways to add it, read the wiki a bit but to no avail. Did you manage/try to remove it?
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The query params stripping happens at the network level, meaning when you click a url the request is modified before it is emitted to the server (like a transparent redirect), the url itself you see in the page is not modified:
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Static-filter-syntax#removeparam
Simply enable the filter in uBO under: "Privacy > AdGuard URL Tracking Protection"
There are other solutions like CleanURLs webextension, which actually modifies urls in the page to remove the tracking parts:
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Jumping on this as well!
Thanks for explaining where to find it, I set uBlock in a way internet said I should but no clue how it all really works.
I also didn't had 'AdGuard Tracking Protection' on so also checked that which is good right?
I noticed that when I hover a game on here it still shows it in the link, that is correct right? Now it just doesn't send that information to Steamgifts or am I understanding it wrong?
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Yes, you will not see any "visual" changes when using removeparam, the way it works is that uBO intercepts network requests and modifies them before being sent to the server.
If you're curious to see it in action, open the uBO "logger" tool and click one of those links, you will see how your browser actually sending a network request without the "utm_source" part.
I should also mention that I am a Firefox user. Now since Chrome is removing support for all MV2 extensions (inlcuding uBO), there was a best-effort attempt to port uBO to MV3 as "uBO Lite", and due to the constraints of MV3, some features are simply missing when compared to the full uBO, this include some removeparam rules that use regexes:
What I'm trying to say is that uBO+Firefox is the superior solution if you care about adblocking :)
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Ah okay, I checked your screenshot and I have that same message, so that is good, thanks!
I am also a Firefox user, feel bad for Chrome users that will lose a lot of their add-ons...
To bad Steamgifts changed this without a bigger notice, I mean, for referrals we have a choice and this is forced?
I personally use uBlock, Privacy Badger and AdGuard, it may be a bit over the top but found online that these work well together and used them since and so far it seems to work great!
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I personally use uBlock, Privacy Badger and AdGuard
actually using multiple adblocker extensions can decrease their effectiveness at blocking ads and trackers and is discouraged, this is especially true for its anti-adblocker-defuse features (think sites that detect your are using an adblocker and refuse to let you continue until you disable it)
TL;DR: Just use uBlock Origin ;)
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Right.. I was expecting it to work visually indeed, but the logger shows the..truth! FF+uBO here as well. Works fine after all, I'll just keep the "store...blahblah" filter I added and not the general "*" because you never know what breaks where. I still thnik there should be a site-side option to disable it and let the choice to the users. I don't see what good may come out from big publishers knowing that information and I wonder how many indie developers will take advantage of that..
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What's funny about when these links use that referral address and it seems to usually be specifically to Steam, is that it reverts to the genuine string of the store page anyway. I don't see how that's useful.
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The referral/tracker has gone to Steam by then, so it's already logged. The site will "convert" the link to whichever they have/want to be "default", e.g. the url "https://store.steampowered.com/app/[appid of game]" will be converted to ""https://store.steampowered.com/app/[appid of game]/[name of game]".
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How is the logged action even meaningful? So far it seems it's added directly to Steam store pages, but what is the impact at the end anyway? What's the point about complaining for something that has such a small footprint in whatever you do?
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Is that, in total, 1+3=4 questions?
Q1: answered
Q2 (meaningful) & Q3 (impact): Not for me to answer.
Q4: If you're asking why people are bothered by tracking systems on the internet.. that's a couple of decades (or more) of internet activity related issues of expalining.. All browsers have a bunch of options to stop various ways of tracking..so obviously there are reasons for.. "complaining"..
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It's one question; you just don't have an answer to why it's this meaningful? It has basically a net zero impact on you. I don't care for conspiracies, as there's already ways that there's tracking occurring even in the background that you don't see, out of sight and out of mind, so what's the point in this being an issue? Especially since when it comes from SG, it's really oddly specific and therefore narrow.
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Firefox and all other browsers didn't add such measures because they believe in conspiracies, if that's what you call "tracking". None mentioned the word "conspiracies" but you. I did answer, here it is again:"that's a couple of decades (or more) of internet activity related issues of expalining" and I won't waste time on it for "someone on the internet" who doens't seem like they want an answer but rather stir things up. On the other hand, if you're that indifferent to anything about tracking and whatever is in the background, why bother replying here? You haven't contributed anything to the thread about what I asked and even expect your questions to be answered.. (which apparently baffled another user from the way you posed them). But if you're genuinely interested to learn what the..impact is, and not just argue for the sake of argument, I'm sure you can search around the internet and find an answer from more security conscious people. Many many places, apart for a game gifting site, to get answers.
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Firefox and all other browsers didn't add such measures
What? First off, they don't. This is something a web admin/developer manually adds. I would know, since I've done that sort of thing myself. I'm not talking "tracking" as conspiracies. I'm talking of what the public thinks this tracking is about. Tinfoil hat stuff.
here it is again:"that's a couple of decades (or more) of internet activity related issues of expalining"
You're missing the point of my response, as that is not only not a straight answer, it is hardly even relevant since I'm not asking for an explanation. Again, I don't care for whatever conspiracies are concocted within that sphere. I was specifically talking about SG's tracker.
On the other hand, if you're that indifferent to anything about tracking and whatever is in the background, why bother replying here?
I may be indifferent to trackers in general, but I was speaking about what people are making a fuss about with this one. Not what people have been discussing for 20 years at so-and-so. Sticking to the actual topic at hand, not generalities.
Especially the fact that even Alpha2749 added what it does anyway, the link itself doesn't even track you, the user. It's simply tracking the traffic that comes with SG*. No personally identifiable markers. So, "what is the issue?" was the idea. I was replying to you since you wanted to engage in my original statement through whatever your purpose was.
You haven't contributed anything to the thread about what I asked and even expect your questions to be answered
I contributed to the thread by making an observation about what it does, and saw that whatever was worrisome about it was unfounded. Another user piped in to give an explainer about it anyway even though that wasn't really the point of what I was saying. None of this was about asking for you to tell me what it does. It was about your reaction. Consider it rhetorical, if you must, but I didn't really demand an answer. I was saying you ultimately weren't giving an answer in whatever you were trying to reply with when you attempted.
*On that thought, where indeed is your pride? Another rhetorical consideration.
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Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox for desktop and so many other options about Cookies etc.
Nope, there is no contribution on the thread from you but the continuing argument that the "worry".. the "complain", has no basis. Feel free to keep thinking about it like that but it doesn't belong to this thread and it doesn't/didn't help but to derrail it. To paraphrase: None of this was about asking for anyone to tell me whether the impact is or isn't significant, nor for me to explain it. This is the equivalent of the "argument" that many people reply with, on the steam forums, when someone asks "does it work on Windows 7" and there's a barrage of replies in the manner "Why are you still using Windows 7" which is completely useless to the thread.
The purpose of this one was to a) get a reply about why this was implemented (partially answered) and b) to have a way to remove/disable this (solved, but also partially answered because it can be done with a script but not via SG's options).
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Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox for desktop and so many other options about Cookies etc.
BRUH. I'm NOT asking you to point out those things. I was talking aboout the SG link and only the SG link. You're also failing to grasp the point of it. Not protection methiods, not some weird tracker that lets the FBI spy on you. It isn't even any of those things.
Nope, there is no contribution on the thread from you but the continuing argument that the "worry".. the "complain", has no basis. Feel free to keep thinking about it like that but it doesn't belong to this thread and it doesn't/didn't help but to derrail it.
There's no derailing. I've mentioned it already, and Alpha2749 conveniently described it: https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/F64g3/option-to-remove-tracking-url-from-store-links#NuEj4w8
The argument about the "worry" has a basis, because you're literally overreacting to it in the first place.
To paraphrase: None of this was about asking for anyone to tell me whether the impact is or isn't significant, nor for me to explain it.
I wasn't asking you to explain. I was asking you to think. My contribution was that, because even after what Alpha2749 clearly demonstrated, the whole thread was starting a mountain out of a molehill. My contributiion was TELLING you that this thing has a small footprint and is barely noticeable in the first place. It even changes the path to the page automatically anyways. You blink, and you would've missed it. Int he background, whether the option is on or off, its existence itself is not nefarious. So, my "question" was a statement to say, "why the heck are you even that concerned about it when it basically doesn't pose a threat?" You're being totally ignorant here.
This is the equivalent of the "argument" that many people reply with, on the steam forums, when someone asks "does it work on Windows 7" and there's a barrage of replies in the manner "Why are you still using Windows 7" which is completely useless to the thread.
Not even close. I was pointing ot the concern at hand, a very specific one, and you keep talking/linking to generalities. Alpha2749 narrowed it down and showed it was unique.
The purpose of this one was to a) get a reply about why this was implemented (partially answered) and b) to have a way to remove/disable this (solved, but also partially answered because it can be done with a script but not via SG's options).
It's totally your prerogative and you'd be perfectly fine to live with one hand, but this doesn't make sense. That's my point.
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And my point was: "don't tell me anything" (I wrote it up there), which you failed to grasp. I don't need explanation about the footprint. I know and can find information if I miss/need something. I just don't want the tracking of that sort.. why is it so hard for you to understand that?
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And my point was: "don't tell me anything" (I wrote it up there)
You did not. Rather, you were busy trying to mouth at me about some weird bull hockey that isn't even what this is about, to make excuses for why you're asking to block something that actually has no effect on you. You actually missed a lot, and especially with coming up with that line is telling me you want to be ignorant.
why is it so hard for you to understand that?
Because what you're doing makes zero sense. You should actually understand it, then see where I'm getting at.
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There is no point..(me continuing to reply that is), Frankly I didn't even read your reply, just saw my messages and replied. I'm done with this "wall".
Just commenting to let you know that. Of course you can keep at it..
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As an answer to part of your question:
The UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) is a way for developers to see how different marketing campaigns are working. Having 'utm_source=SteamGifts' in the URL, means the developer of the game can see how many visitors to their store page were from SG, and how many of those visitors wishlisted, purchased, or activated the game. The data is aggregated to number of visitors, and as per the steamworks documentation, no personal information/ userid is stored with this analytics.
If you are curious to learn more about it, here is the steamworks link for UTM. You can scroll down to the 'example' section to see a specific example of how this data is meaningful.
https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/utm_analytics
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I wasn't asking for an explanation of what it is. I was asking about the impact on you, as a user.
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I guess I misunderstood your question then. I was answering the 'How is the logged action meaningful', and 'what is the impact at the end anyway' parts of your question.
I personally don't mind one way or the other, hence, I said 'part of your question' initially.
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It's fine. Now I know anyway. Very mountain. So molehill.
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Added a TL;DR in the description for anyone interested.
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I noticed recently that there's a tracking utm_source=SteamGifts part, added at the end of the store link, in the giveaways. When was that introduced and is there some reasoning behind it? Usually we're trying to avoid getting "followed" by trackers/tracking URLs. Is there a way/setting to remove it and if not, please add one..
EDIT: To anyone interested here is the TL;DR:
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