I've been wondering how Spotify manages to keep track of the songs I've shared with friends over Snapchat and text messages. Recently, I noticed that after updating the app, the message threads with my partner include songs we've sent to each other, even dating back to 2022. I'm curious how Spotify can pull this information from other apps. My permissions in Spotify don't mention anything about accessing my texts or contacts, so I'm not sure how it's happening. Can anyone explain this to me?
3 Answers
Spotify seems to use what are called source indicators. They add encoded data to the end of shared links, which allows them to track who clicked the link and where it came from. It’s similar to how YouTube links work, where extra code can indicate who shared the video without affecting the link itself. You can even strip that extra code out for more privacy if you want!
What’s interesting is also how linking works across apps. When you share something, say from TikTok, it creates a unique link that has both the video and the account that shared it. So even if you’re not communicating within TikTok, they can still connect users based on the links shared elsewhere.
The term you're looking for might be 'tracking pixel.' This is a method used to gather data about how links are shared and interacted with. But just to clarify, a tracking pixel usually works with HTML content, which might not directly apply if you're only sharing plain text links through messages.
A tracking pixel only works when sending HTML, dude. OP is talking about text.
ohhh okay I see, that makes sense! Thank you