cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/31187638

Earlier today I came across a Reddit comment with a link to an Instagram post. The link had ?igsh= at the end.

When I clicked on the link, I got this popup. It had a name and profile photo that was different from that of the post being shared.

Join Firstname Lastname on Instagram

See photos, videos, and more from Firstname Lastname.

[ Open Instagram ]

not now

I avoid link trackers. However, I did not realize it was this bad.

To my knowledge, TikTok does the same thing and lists the name of the person that shared the link. Assuming this increases engagement, any website could enable such a feature, even on old links that you shared in the past.

You should manually remove any trackers before sharing, or use an app for it.

  • GeneralInterest@lemmy.worldEnglish
    18·
    2 months ago

    Good PSA. Personally I’m not that worried because

    1. I don’t use Instagram
    2. Firefox has an option to copy links without site tracking, which hopefully would work on Instagram links
    3. I try to only write stuff online that wouldn’t be massively embarrassing if anyone does happen to figure out who I am
    • XeroxCool@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      The fingerprinting goes waaaaay beyond Instagram. Maybe not frequently username specific, but it’s still kinda weird to always be throwing out your device type, browser, and prior we page among other things