eStore – More URL Shorteners?

[quadworks]

Hi there,

could we have other URL-Shorteners than Goo.gl? E.g. bit.ly and such?

That would be a great enhancement. I’d like to have the option, if Google analyses my customers, or not

Thanks in Advance

Best,

Jörg

[wzp]

What are your reservations about using Google as a link shortener?

[quadworks]

The same reservations with every other link shortener.

Nonetheless, would be great to have more options

[wzp]

Please elaborate, because I’d like to know; if there really is something we should be concerned about.

[quadworks]

For this, keep in mind: German understanding of personal data is different to other countries

Link shorteners save the shortened link, and the extended URL. Obviously.

Google will, of course, log IP, shortened Link, and extended URL when someone asks for a certain short-link.

If you are paranoid enough to think about this, Google is able to analyze your customers behavior. In the end, Google knows more about your customers, than you as seller …

If wp eStore offered more than googles shortener, you would have a choice. I think, all of them log in a way, but that’s the way it is …

Best

Jörg

[wzp]

This is a good discussion, that should be addressed. When eStore shortens a link…

Google WILL know:

* The IP address of your server.

* The date/time the link was generated.

* The encrypted link to the product.

Google will NOT know:

* The IP address or any other personally identifiable information about the buyer.

* What the product is, because the link is encrypted. If Google tries to transverse the encrypted link, it will take away from the number of times the encrypted link can be used.

When the buyer eventually does use the shortened link…

Google WILL know:

* The IP address, date/time, and possible geophysical location of the person using the link.

* The encrypted link to the product.

Google will NOT know:

* What the product is, because the link is encrypted. If Google tries to transverse the encrypted link, it will take away from the number of times the encrypted link can be used.

So, the only way for Google to know what the product actually is would be to wait until the encrypted link has been used at least one time; and then try to transverse it in the hope the encrypted link has not yet expired. For the truly paranoid it would be possible to modify the download manager, so that once an encrypted link is successfully used, it would be deleted from the eStore database.

So that takes care of Google, but what about state sponsored monitoring? Well, that is beyond the scope of this support forum. However, if you have a need for something to handle that kind of scenario, you are welcome to drop me a line, using my encrypted contact form at: https://TheAssurer.com/contact

[Michael DeLuca]

I just wanted to chime in and say I also would appreciate having other options for url shorteners besides Google. How about the open-source shortening software YOURLS?

[http://yourls.org]

Not only would that eliminate any privacy concerns, but it would mean not having to fetch the shortened URL using CURL. I’ve just about made up my mind to hack that option into the plugin code for myself.

[wzp]

As previously stated; the only privacy concern with using Google is “state sponsored” monitoring. And since eStore already does all the work, what is wrong with using cURL?

Remember, privacy measures have practical limits…

[http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/security.png]

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