{
  "id": 125652,
  "title": "DuckDuckGo’s new iPhone feature stops tracking IDs from hitching a ride in shared links",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/duckduckgos-new-iphone-feature-stops-tracking-ids-from-hitching-a",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-04T10:38:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Digital Trends",
    "slug": "digital-trends",
    "url": "https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/duckduckgos-new-iphone-feature-stops-tracking-ids-from-hitching-a-ride-in-shared-links/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "DuckDuckGo has introduced an iPhone feature that removes tracking identifiers from shared links to prevent them from being transmitted through chats, emails and social media posts. This Copy Clean Link option eliminates unnecessary parameters before copying the link to the clipboard. It was added in a recent iOS update and can be accessed by holding the address bar. The feature works with links from various websites such as X, Reddit and YouTube, stripping out parameters that can be used for link decoration and tracking purposes. These parameters, often appearing after a question mark in a URL, help track user activity across different websites. When a user clicks on a link, scripts on the destination page may read any tracking identifiers and associate the activity with the user's browsing history. Apple's WebKit team has acknowledged the use of click IDs as a method for trackers to establish an identity across websites. By using the Copy Clean Link option, users can prevent these identifiers from being forwarded to others when the link is pasted into a chat or email. The feature does not undo any tracking that may have already occurred when the page loaded and does not block cookies, scripts or other tracking mechanisms within a website. Although the protection offered by Copy Clean Link is limited, it provides a practical solution for users looking to share links without unnecessary tracking information.",
  "summary": "DuckDuckGo’s Copy Clean Link feature strips unnecessary URL parameters before sharing, helping prevent tracking IDs from travelling through messages, emails and social posts on iPhone.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}