This is browser extension for removing a lot of tracking query params (itm_*, utm_*, fbcli, gclid, ysclid, ...and so on.) from URLs before they load.
The list of blocked parameters may differ slightly for Firefox and Chrome, due to differences in the algorithms by which cleaning is carried out.
The full list of options blocked by the Firefox version is here https://github.com/Psychosynthesis/Eraser/blob/main/src/firefox/common/constants.js#L11
Options blocked by the Chrome version are here: https://github.com/Psychosynthesis/Eraser/blob/main/src/chrome/rules.json#L10
For debugging, you need to install extensions directly from the file.
To do this, type in the address bar: about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
Sometimes it is necessary to install an unsigned update from a compiled file. For this go to about:config тype in search xpinstall.signatures.required and set to false.
In the current session, you will be able to install unsigned extensions until you restart firefox.
For build extensions run bash build.sh from the main directory of this repository. Or just manually pack the files in the directory corresponding to the browser into a zip archive (for Firefox you need to change its extension to .xpi)
Available on addons.mozilla.org: https://addons.mozilla.org/ru/firefox/addon/utm-eraser
Available on Chrome Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/utm-eraser
For debug extension on Chrome do next steps:
- Menu -> "More Tools" -> Extensions menu
- Toggle Developer mode on
- Click "Load unpacked"
- Click and "Open" on the folder src/chrome
This should stay installed even when exiting/restarting.
Might get a notification pop up warning you about dev-mode though.
Please note that Firefox and Chrome versions use different approaches.
Using "webRequestBlocking" is not compatible with the v.3 manifest because the geniuses from Chrome team decided to charge money for this functionality — it's only available for "enterprise" add-ons (because it allowed to effectively block ads and, of course, that was unacceptable!). Therefore, now the extension can block only a pre-specified list of parameters before the page loads. The parameters specified manually in Chrome will clear the URL only after the page loads.
It is for this reason that the Chrome version, unfortunately, does not actually prevent tracking through all tracking parameters, but only prevent pre-specified list of parameters, and cleans the link from custom-specified params, which is useful anyway if user who wants to share the address.
Old versions of Firefox (for old OS) doesn't allow you to work properly with the third version of the manifest, although it can still be done: the developer preview of Manifest V3 is available since Firefox 101. To test your extensions you need to turn on the MV3 features. To do this, go to about:config and:
Set extensions.manifestV3.enabled to true.
Set xpinstall.signatures.required to false.