What UTM Parameters Actually Do (And Don't Do)
The Internet's Latest Privacy Panic Is Based on a Misunderstanding.
There's an image making the rounds. Pink gradient background, aggressive black text, lots of capital letters. It's telling everyone to strip tracking parameters from URLs before sharing them.
While we’re all about re-claiming privacy, the post is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how web analytics work. And while people are diligently cleaning their URLs, they're missing what actually matters for privacy.
The Misconception: "UTM Parameters Track Your Personal Activity"
The viral image claims these parameters track "where you came from, what device you use, and even who you talk to." It suggests that sharing a link with UTM parameters reveals your social connections.
This isn't how any of this works. UTM parameters are campaign tracking codes. When you see ‘?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email’ that's a marketing team trying to answer one question: "Which of our campaigns drove this traffic?"
Let's break down what happens when you click a link with UTM parameters:
You click a link from a newsletter
The link includes
?utm_source=newsletterWhen you land on the website, their analytics tool records: "One visitor came from the newsletter"
That's it.
The website doesn't learn:
Who you are (unless you log in)
Who sent you the link
Your social connections
Your personal information
It's attribution, not identification. It's the digital equivalent of a store asking "How did you hear about us?" at checkout.
Meanwhile, Actual Web Tracking Works Differently
When you visit any website, several tracking mechanisms activate immediately:
First-party tracking (what the website itself collects):
Session data (pages visited, time spent, clicks)
Device information (browser, operating system, screen size)
Account data (if you're logged in)
Form inputs and interactions
Third-party tracking (what embedded services collect):
Analytics services (Google Analytics, Adobe)
Advertising pixels (Facebook, Google Ads)
Social media embeds
Customer service tools
None of these need UTM parameters to function. They work through cookies, JavaScript, and other technologies built into your browser.
Why This Distinction Matters
When you strip UTM parameters, you're not protecting your privacy. You're just making it harder for:
Newsletter writers to know if anyone reads their content
Nonprofits to measure which campaigns raise awareness
Small businesses to understand their marketing effectiveness
Content creators to justify their work to sponsors
The companies with sophisticated tracking using pixels, cookies, and fingerprinting. Google Analytics can track you across websites through their measurement protocol. Facebook's pixel fires regardless of URL parameters.
A More Practical Approach to Privacy
If you're concerned about online tracking (and you should be), focus on measures that actually make a difference:
For third-party tracking:
Use content blockers like uBlock Origin
Enable Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox
Consider privacy-focused browsers like Brave
Regularly clear cookies and site data
For first-party tracking:
Understand what data you're sharing when you create accounts
Use disposable email addresses for services you don't trust
Read privacy policies for services you use regularly
Limit what personal information you provide
What doesn't help:
Stripping UTM parameters from URLs
Using a VPN (for first-party tracking)
Incognito mode (for persistent tracking)
The Bottom Line: Understand What You're Actually Protecting Against
UTM parameters are analytics markers. By themselves, they’re not privacy invasive. They help website owners understand their traffic sources, not their visitors' personal lives.
The real privacy conversation should focus on:
How companies collect and correlate data across services
What rights you have to your data
How to meaningfully limit tracking that matters
Understanding the trade-offs between convenience and privacy
Want to understand how web analytics actually work? We're creating a plain-English guide to digital measurement—what's collected, why it matters, and what you can actually do about it. Follow us on our social platforms for more, or book a no-obligation project chat to ensure your data strategy is designed to be privacy-first.
This viral image spreading across social media that misidentifies UTM parameters as privacy threats
While well-intentioned, it confuses attribution tracking with personal surveillance—and diverts attention from actual privacy concerns.
