YouTube has also started attaching a Share ID of sorts:

https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=rzmQCXsZkblahblah

The “si” query parameter is the tracker in question.

Presumably, it has your user ID embedded in it so all your efforts to concele your identity by using anon IDs on Lemmy/Reddit/Twitter etc routing through VPNs Tor whatnot can be shattered with a single share of a YouTube video. Plus, they can track and associate users with each other based on who all opened your link.

Not needed, just an extra step to fill up step 2 in this meme format.

Time to go back to our “roots” then.

Try wefwef.app. It’s a web app for mobile, the UI is based on the infamous Apollo app.