Should I be concerned about links that go through r20.rs6.net?
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Should I be concerned about links that go through r20.rs6.net?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Novato, CA, USA
    Posts
    11

    Should I be concerned about links that go through r20.rs6.net?

    I receive e-mails from an organization that uses Constant Contact for distributing their e-mails and tracking responses. When I click on any link in these e-mails (typically, to a YouTube video), uBlock Origin stops the page from loading, saying “ . . . the following filter: r20.rs6.net found in Peter Lowe’s Ad and tracking server list.”

    The e-mail shows the link as https://youtu.be/k1Ft2JyqUXx, but the URL actually coded is like the following:

    http://r20.rs6.net
    /tn.jsp?f=001YHFjga1god4bJMtl9iZbquuzftHImtUSMeMd90JYkjVug2spMsVJmo4JN-EQsG3YfmHTzQCjZts6lHJ3dRMVeqRTw7VEevU0v86Bsx54ep-k47ME1sWC8xOZ02pdL0v9HD2oyzDPSmsx1Ds5Ez90EwQ==&c=8rENiz6cxsW9KfOCn3Mbq9ENEJHe9_3wm6IkTEv_0F2fPglTvPg45g==&ch=qwgCBkoG9UDACCe74rOOmuo3ETU3JWaVvKNaJXEaX3eEOpDd6e9d1getcetc==
    I objected to this in an e-mail to the organization’s marketing director, who wrote “. . . it does track certain actions of our contacts to help us manage our engagement including: Open Rates, Click Through Rates, and Bounce Rates. It also tracks mobile vs desktop opens. All of which gives us a better understanding of how our messages and content are connecting with our supporters. And that's it. We do not receive any type of ad revenue from the clicks nor does Constant Contact. And as ____ noted, neither we nor Constant Contact share information about our patrons.”

    Did I overreact when I objected to the underlying link to r20.rs6.net as an invasion of privacy and a sharing of my information with outside entities? Is it simply doing what the marketing director says, tracking their patrons responses solely for the use of their organization? Or does the use of r20.rs6.net imply the potential for abuse of privacy?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 1998
    Location
    Toronto
    Posts
    25,426
    It isn't a dangerous site and it exists for the reasons they explained.. to track your clicks
    and what email it came from. Nearly every major website you visit these days does much
    the same thing via tracking cookies often even if you tell them not to. It is a relatively minor
    breach of privacy and online etiquette but unless you're willing to just unplug your computer
    there isn't realistically much you or I or anyone else can do about it.
    Since, in this case, it is from a company you do know that does at
    the very least mean they aren't some dark web entity out to steal your ID or private info.

    You can test web site URL's here to see if they are malicious or carry any malware content...

    https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/url

    The site above tested as safe and in any case it was blocked by your ad blocker (as it was initially
    with mine) so we're both doing what we can to at least avoid these annoyances as much as
    realistically possible.

    I do have some sympathy with some of these companies.. it's very difficult making any money
    on line these days with corporations like google etc raking in all the available profits so they are
    being forced to try and make as much as they can using methods like this.

    VirtualDr email notices are not working.
    Check back regularly for responses.

    _____________________
    cat lovers click here

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2000
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
    Posts
    18,063
    What I do with links like that is to just type the actual link text into Word or Notepad, then copy and paste the real link so no click data is recorded.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •