Mailing lists often learn when an email was opened and which link was clicked. Here is what Methmail will do about it, and where that stops.
Images and tracking pixels
A tracking pixel hides in an email as a tiny, usually invisible image. When it loads from the sender’s server, the sender learns the email was opened.
Images in emails will show right away, except in Spam. Our server will fetch them through its proxy when you open the email: the sender won’t learn your IP address or your device. We won’t load known tracking pixels at all.
The sender will be able to tell that the email was opened, and when: images will be fetched each time you open it. The proxy will see the image addresses, including in encrypted emails, and won’t record them. You’ll be able to turn off showing images right away in settings: then images will show only when you click a button.
Tracking tags in links
Tags in links tell a website which mailing you came from, and some say exactly who you are.
When you open an email, Methmail will strip known tracking tags from its links, such as utm_ and fbclid. We remove only known tags. We don’t expand links that go through a redirect service: to find out where one leads, we would have to follow it. A unique link still tells the sender it was clicked.
One-click unsubscribe
Unsubscribing usually means visiting the mailing list’s website, which then sees your IP address.
If a mailing list supports one-click unsubscribe, you’ll be able to unsubscribe with a single button. Our server, not your device, will send the request: the sender will see our IP address, not yours. The sender will learn that your address is active and that you unsubscribed. Our server will see the unsubscribe address as it sends the request and won’t record it. If a list only accepts unsubscribing by email, that email will go from your address, like any email to another provider.
Link check
A fake link can look like a real one: for example, a Latin letter in the address swapped for a look-alike Cyrillic one.
Before you follow a link, Methmail will show which site it leads to. If the address mixes alphabets, such as Cyrillic and Latin, it will be shown in punycode, which makes a fake easier to spot. The check will run on your device: the address of the link you open won’t be sent to us or to anyone else for checking. The check shows where a link leads; it doesn’t decide whether the site can be trusted.
What this won't do
- The sender will be able to tell that the email was opened, and when: images will be fetched each time you open it. To stop that, you’ll be able to turn off “Show images in emails right away” in settings: then images will show only when you click a button.
- The proxy will see the image addresses, including in encrypted emails, and won’t record them.
- We remove only known tags, and we don’t expand links that go through a redirect service. A unique link still tells the sender it was clicked.
- Unsubscribing tells the sender your address is active. If a list only accepts unsubscribing by email, that email will go from your address.
- The link check shows where a link leads; it doesn’t decide whether the site can be trusted.
The other limits are listed under What Methmail won’t be able to do.
On every plan
All of this will be on every plan. How much Methmail will cost
Questions
Do I need to turn anything on? No. Images will show right away, known tracking pixels won’t be loaded, and Methmail will strip tags on its own when you open an email. One-click unsubscribe and the link check will work when you press the unsubscribe button or follow a link.
Will the sender know the email was opened? Yes, the sender will be able to tell that the email was opened, and when: images will be fetched each time you open it. They won’t learn your IP address or your device: our server will fetch the images through its proxy. To keep the sender from learning even that, you’ll be able to turn off “Show images in emails right away” in settings: then images will show only when you click a button.
Can I block email trackers? We won’t load known tracking pixels at all, and our server will fetch the other images through its proxy when you open the email: the sender won’t learn your IP address, but will be able to tell that the email was opened, and when. To load images only when you click a button, you’ll be able to turn off “Show images in emails right away” in settings. Methmail will strip known tracking tags from links when you open an email, and a unique link will still tell the sender it was clicked.
Will the link check protect me from phishing? The check will show which site a link leads to, and show an address that mixes alphabets in punycode. It won’t decide whether the site can be trusted. How to spot a fake email is covered in How to spot a phishing email.