Google removes an otherwise firefox recommended extension from their webstore.

[polonus]

The extension ClearURLs has been removed by Goolge.
Its developer reported here: https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon/issues/102

The reasons given are rather ridiculous, but it is feared that that link cleansing extension was interfering with Google's main business model, so they wanted to get rid of it, as soon as too many end-users started to use it.

Read: https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/24/popular_privacy_extension_clearurls_removed/

Re: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26564638
This Google measure is known as the so-called Barbara_Streisand_effect:
Re: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

Global populations sigh under lock-downs and Google end-users from an ever stricter vendor-lock-in.

polonus

[Asyn]

 

[polonus]

One could replace this extension with the Adguard for Chrome extension.
The latter in incognito mode functions in a likewise fashion as ClearURLs use to do.

Inside Brave ClearURLs just works.

To make it possible to again install Google chrome banned extensions on Windows (forget about harmful ones)
you can whitelist using Windows Registry Editor version 5.00 and for CLEAR URLS give in:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallWhitelist]
"1"='onjjkemcjfjhcfahheibmbefangghgcdde'

Extension CLEAR URLS will be loaded again.

polonus

[DavidR]

I'm not even sure what the ClearURLs extension is meant to do in Chrome until I read this https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/clearurls/

Now the latest version of Firefox 87.0, by all accounts does this by default.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/87.0/releasenotes/

To further protect your privacy, our new default HTTP Referrer policy will trim path and query string information from referrer headers to prevent sites from accidentally leaking sensitive user data.

Is this not the same ?

I thought other browsers are also meant to be or considering this Referrer URL stripping function.

[Rednose]

How to install the ClearURLs add-on manually in Chrome :

https://www.ghacks.net/2021/03/25/after-googles-removal-how-to-install-the-cleanurls-add-on-manually-in-chrome/

Greetz, Red.

[Asyn]

Now the latest version of Firefox 87.0, by all accounts does this by default.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/87.0/releasenotes/

To further protect your privacy, our new default HTTP Referrer policy will trim path and query string information from referrer headers to prevent sites from accidentally leaking sensitive user data.

Is this not the same ?

Yes Dave, more here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=19387.msg1593276#msg1593276

[polonus]

Hi Asyn,

Yes Smart Block Master came to Firefox, and I would like it being brought to Brave as well.
Even better to have now developed Script Surrogates extension by No-Script developer Giorgio Maone,
working on this. Re: https://noscript.net/ and it is even better than Smart Block is. 
May also be brought to Firefox as part of the Tor browser.

As this is important to minimize you being tracked out of your socks by such instances.

One of the parties doing this is Amazon via all sorts of governmental institutions world-wide.
-web.vp.consilium.europa.eu
-press.vp.consilium.europa.eu
-web-acc.vp.consilium.europa.eu

Why?: They will use Amazon Cloud because of it being more efficient.
To better collaborate.
To have easier restore after a potential (cyber-)disaster.
Access to this cloud from everywhere.
One expects a better security grade than using in-house solutions (government, army).
It is a way to reduce costs.

But not everybody is happy with it.
See: https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=ec2-52-59-154-90.eu-central-1.compute.amazonaws.com

And what some New Yorkers came up with, re: https://www.amny.com/news/amazon-boycott-1-24219467/

In the mean time keep a sharp eye on internal browser RAM use,
pushing Shift + Esc keys (Browser Task Manager pops up).

Some extensions can really "lame" the memory workings of your browser and make it slow or not to respond.

polonus (error-hunter and avast secure browser beta-tester)

[polonus]

Privacy extension ClearURLs back.

After the developer of the extension made some adaptations suggested by Google the extension has been allowed back to Google Chrome.
Read: https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon/issues/102

polonus

[DavidR]

Privacy extension ClearURLs back.

After the developer of the extension made some adaptations suggested by Google the extension has been allowed back to Google Chrome.
Read: https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon/issues/102

polonus

I just wonder how much of this decision might have been the adverse publicity

Though as I mentioned already built into firefox.

[polonus]

Hi DavidR,

I also made the extension work inside Avast Secure Browser.

Then we have to go into the security and privacy center of that browser to adjust settings so to be able to install outside extensions.
Normally the browser blocks additional extensions and asks you whether to take the risk of adding them.

We live in certain days and age in which all bad things will slowly come to light, and this hideous tracking is one of these revelations.

I run Clear URLs extension next to LocalCDN (0) extension in Avast Secure Browser.

It is a pity we need to go into quite some length to keep tracking and monitoring at bay to a certain degree.
CleanURLs cleansed 45 instances just on this very page on the forums where I write this to you. 

Have a good week ye all, enjoy the Spring Season and Summertime.

polonus (error-hunter and avast secure browser beta tester).

[alanb]

I'm not even sure what the ClearURLs extension is meant to do in Chrome until I read this https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/clearurls/

Now the latest version of Firefox 87.0, by all accounts does this by default.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/87.0/releasenotes/

To further protect your privacy, our new default HTTP Referrer policy will trim path and query string information from referrer headers to prevent sites from accidentally leaking sensitive user data.

Is this not the same ?

I thought other browsers are also meant to be or considering this Referrer URL stripping function.

Not quite the same, more complementary: ClearURLs strips parameters from the URL whereas the new new default HTTP Referrer policy removes then from the referer request header.