Strip tracking parameters
Have you ever noticed that when you click a link in an email, the URL expands to include a massive string of random characters?
https://example.com/shoes?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters were created by Urchin Software (now Google Analytics). They allow marketers to track exactly where traffic comes from. If you copy that massive URL and send it to your friend, Google Analytics will record that two people clicked the newsletter link, artificially inflating their metrics and linking your friend's browsing session to yours.
Modern ad networks (like Facebook and Google Ads) go a step further. Instead of generic tags, they append a unique cryptographic identifier to every single click (e.g., fbclid=IwAR3...).
This ID maps directly to your personal user profile in their database. If you share that URL on a public forum, anyone who clicks it might be incorrectly associated with your advertising profile by Facebook.
This tool uses the native URL and URLSearchParams APIs built into the browser.
It parses the query string, systematically iterates through the keys, and deletes any that match known tracking signatures. It then re-serializes the URL, leaving you with the original, clean canonical link, completely stripped of tracking telemetry.
What happens from a privacy perspective if you copy a URL containing a 'fbclid' parameter and text it to a friend?
