Today I found out that google docs infects html exports with spyware, no scripts, but links in your document are replaced with invisible google tracking redirects. I was using their software because a friend wanted me to work with him on a google doc, he is a pretty big fan of their software, but we...
@Joe_0237@fosstodon.org wrote:
Today I found out that google docs infects html exports with spyware, no scripts, but links in your document are replaced with invisible google tracking redirects. I was using their software because a friend wanted me to work with him on a google doc, he is a pretty big fan of their software, but we were both somehow absolutely shocked that they would go that far.
The second you mentioned Google you're talking about an all-seeing totalitarian state. Nothing you said about imbedding tracking links in docs is surprised. As a corporation they are always developing new ways to pimp you out and make you turn tricks for Google without you knowing while they keep all of the pay from your actiities.
Google tries to turn every human on the planent into their personal money making whore.
Are there any beneficial side effects? If they discover a URL is malicious after it’s been exported, would this allow them to intercept the click and stop someone from reaching the malicious site?
That's how Microsoft markets their "safe links" in Outlook, which is more or less the same behavior of wrapping all links with a redirect. Whether they actually do anything with that to save you from phishing attempts or whatever... who knows. Even if there is a safety feature, it's still an easy way to mine url query params for data or learn about the user for other purposes (which they may or may not be doing)
IMO if you can't turn it off, there's a secondary motive to the feature. Especially when the feature is marketed from a place of fear rather than aid.
While I would be sceptical that this is the main reason, this might be a valid argument. Google can track users and protect the stupid users at the same time, who otherwise would endanger the public image of Google Docs('i GoT sCaMmEd oN gOoGlE dOcS')
This page immediately redirects to the proper destination in a fraction of a second. Blink and you'll miss it. However, it does allow Google to track that I clicked the link, and probably associate it back to me and/or the original document.
Google has a thing called Apps Script that lets you write code to run on documents. You could write one that creates an HTML file from your doc without including Google's redirects.
@IWantToFuckSpez@tavu another option would be to parse the file and urls and remove the trackers from the formal export. Or to do it by hand if you don't to it much.
Hi! I'm over here on lemmy, and created this post as a link to your post. I don't think there's a mutually compatible way to repost/boost a mastodon post into a lemmy community, but this seemed close enough.