Gmail Tracking All Links

Posted by acvny on Saturday January 11, 2020 @06:15PM
from the self-post dept.

I've noticed just recently that any link you click from a gmail message first goes to a google URL and then the redirect happens to the actual website.

Here's a ticket opened in 2019 regarding this on Android, but this also happens in the web version of gmail:

https://support.google.com/mail/thread/10786964?hl=en

( 4 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Gmail Tracking All Links by robertcope on Saturday January 11, 2020 @06:24PM (#22023157)

Not seeing this with my Gmail account. It's a paid account, though. Maybe that's the price for good, free email.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Gmail Tracking All Links by muzani on Sunday January 12, 2020 @12:47AM (#22024706)

It does seem to behave differently for paid. For example, it doesn't give you automated suggestions on what to respond, which hints that it might not be reading your mail.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Gmail Tracking All Links by hitsurume on Saturday January 11, 2020 @10:30PM (#22024276)

Not sure about gmail, but its been this way for awhile with gchat and i'd presume gmail too.

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Re:Gmail Tracking All Links by terranoct on Saturday January 11, 2020 @09:37PM (#22024083)

I think it's less for tracking than for trying to combat viruses and phishing attempts. Having the spool data and writing the JavaScript mail client app makes link-based tracking redundant.

[ Parent | on HN ]