[Firefox Android] Google search result URLs preserve tracking, unless Desktop site mode is used

[ThreeDeeJay]

Prerequisites

• I verified that this is not a filter list issue. Report any issues with filter lists or broken website functionality in the uAssets issue tracker.
• This is NOT an issue with YouTube, Facebook or Twitch.
• This is not a support issue or a question. For support, questions, or help, visit /r/uBlockOrigin.
• I performed a cursory search of the issue tracker to avoid opening a duplicate issue.
• The issue is not present after disabling uBO in the browser.
• I checked the documentation to understand that the issue I am reporting is not normal behavior.

I tried to reproduce the issue when...

• uBO is the only extension.
• uBO uses default lists and settings.
• using a new, unmodified browser profile.

Description

uBlock Origin successfully removes tracking from Google search result URLs for a direct link which allows loading certain links with the associated app, but that only works when enabling Desktop site mode.
This also happens when Enhanced tracking protection is completely disabled.

A specific URL where the issue occurs.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ublock+origin

Steps to Reproduce

• Google search anything on Firefox for Android with uBlock Origin. Example: ublock origin
https://www.google.com/search?q=ublock+origin

• In mobile mode, tap and hold a link to show it still has tracking like this:

  https://www.google.com/url?sa=AAAAA&source=web&rct=AAAAA&opi=AAAAA&url=https://ublockorigin.com/&ved=AAAAA=AAAAA

https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/assets/71472458/37699362-c312-4728-977f-b8af4a1e0384

• Turn on Desktop site in the menu which refresh the page
• Tap and hold a search result again and this time it should show the direct URL like this: https://ublockorigin.com/

https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/assets/71472458/515d8cc4-4bb0-4bcc-b35c-da29c72a75f6

• Optionally, disable uBlock Origin then refresh to verify that without it, URLs have tracking even in Desktop site mode:
  https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/assets/71472458/f7c0752a-54a1-4cde-80dd-87222cca31fa

Expected behavior

uBlock origin should also sanitize/clean search result URLs in mobile (default) mode just like it does with Desktop mode.

Actual behavior

Google search result URLs preserve their tracking parameters, which can prevent opening URLs in apps that have site associations and instead the links are opened in the same/new browser tab.

uBO version

1.53.0

Browser name and version

Firefox 120.0

Operating System and version

Android 13

[MasterKia]

Duplicate of #7960

[ThreeDeeJay]

Ohh, my bad. I thought URL sanitation wasn't directly related to filter lists so I didn't check the uAssets repo.
Anyway, thanks for reopening the original 👍

[stephenhawk8054]

I think we can put it under env_mobile?

!#if env_mobile
www.google.com##+js(href-sanitizer, a[href^="/url?q=http"], ?q)
!#endif

[ThreeDeeJay]

Now that you mention it, I just checked and the issue doesn't seem to be Android device-specific.
Even on Windows, if I use User-Agent Switcher addon to use a Firefox Android agent, I can replicate it.
Also, with Android Phone/Tablet agents, the Chrome agent sanitizes the URL but Firefox's doesn't, but I'm not sure if this is a Firefox+mobile issue or something else like a different HTML structure 🤔

I'm guessing the code above extracts the value of the ?q= parameter so I'm not sure why it's not working with
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ublockorigin.com/&sa=AAAAA&ved=AAAAA&usg=AAAAA

On a side note, I also came across this format used by Windows+IE/Edge, which uses url instead of q:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=AAAAA&source=web&rct=AAAAA&opi=AAAAA&url=https://ublockorigin.com/&ved=AAAAA-AAAAA&usg=AAAAA

[ThreeDeeJay]

@mapx- I noticed you closed #7960 (comment) as completed. Does that mean it was fixed in the development code or that it's just being continued here? I'm not familiar with Github Discussions so I'm not sure when to use instead of Issues 🤔

[mapx-]

just being continued here

[krystian3w]

Maybe needed is add Observer Mutation and copy url form second+ parameter's to href-sanitizer.

[krystian3w]

Are you bot?

And what is it https://leaflearns.com/plumeria-yellow/ hidden under dot...?

[areqamubeen]

Are you bot?

And what is it https://leaflearns.com/plumeria-yellow/ hidden under dot...?

no