Deprecated FastForward: skip tracker and intermediary URLs automatically

[silversurfer]

" FastForward is a cross-platform browser extension that will skip link shorteners, trackers and intermediary URLs automatically when enabled. It works on sites such as bit.ly, t.co, goo.gl, show.co, or adf.ly, and thousands of others. "

Intermediary pages may be used for user tracking, the display of advertisement, or other purposes.

The browser extension is available for Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and other Chromium-based browsers. FastForward is a fork of the discontinued Universal Bypass extension, which we have reviewed in 2018 here on this site.

The extension is open source, and you may check out the GitHub repository here to get a look at the code.

Skip the intermediary page​

Plenty of sites and services use intermediary pages. Some use them for tracking purposes, others to reduce the display of web addresses on their sites, or to earn revenue. Depending on the type of intermediary page, users may be redirected automatically to the destination, may wait before they may continue, or are required to complete an action.

FastForward bypasses intermediary pages automatically. The extension works automatically once it is installed in a compatible browser.

It is recommended that you check the preferences first, as you may want to adjust some of the settings before you start using it. To do so, left-click on the extension icon.

Crowd Bypass uses the wisdom of all users of the extension to enable bypasses for intermediary links that can't be bypassed automatically. Basically, what it does is take the information from the first user who does whatever is required to reach the destination and hand it to all other users of the extension.

While that is useful on one hand, some users may not want the information to be submitted to the project. The team notes that the intermediary page URL, the destination URL, and a hash of the user's IP address are recorded in the process.

You may uncheck "Crowd Bypass: Give and take destinations of unbypassable shorteners" to disable the feature.

Developers who use the extension may test custom bypasses and to submit these to the team so that all users benefit from them.

A list of example redirects is provided on the project's website.

FastForward: skip tracker and intermediary URLs automatically - gHacks Tech News

FastForward is a cross-platform browser extension that will skip link shorteners, trackers and intermediary URLs automatically when enabled.

www.ghacks.net

 

[Kongo]

As this extension was discontinued by it's previous developer I didn't want to try it yet. I am still satisfied with Skip Redirect anyway which I am using for months now.

 

[amirr]

As this extension was discontinued by it's previous developer I didn't want to try it yet. I am still satisfied with Skip Redirect anyway which I am using for months now.

Skip Redirect, works ok with uBO in medium mode?

 

[Kongo]

Skip Redirect, works ok with uBO in medium mode?

I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t

 

[amirr]

I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t

For a moment, I was mistaken it with FastForward extension.

 

[plat]

Since ext. come and go, it's nice to hear about alternatives. I have at least one site where it's necessary to skip the intermediate page. So I'm trying Fast Forward now.

In Skip Redirect settings, you can disable the popup notice but in FF there is a page with text very briefly before moving on. FF also has several options SR does not (related to crowd sourcing)--whether that's important is up to the user.

Both seem to work very smoothly. The only hitch would be the extremely brief notification page with FF versus no notification with SR (if you disable that). Even though it's too fast for me to read it, I may go back to Skip Redirect later. I prefer a smooth redirect.

 

[SeriousHoax]

I find this extension quite useful. bitly link shortening service is blocked by our government, weirdly. FastForward can bypass bitly and directly forward to the original url. Also comes useful in some free football streaming sites to quickly redirect to the real site.

 

[amirr]

As this extension was discontinued by it's previous developer I didn't want to try it yet. I am still satisfied with Skip Redirect anyway which I am using for months now.

Hi, I was thinking that is having Skip Redirect, necessary? Thanks, if you do elaborate on that a bit.

 

[Kongo]

Hi, I was thinking that is having Skip Redirect, necessary? Thanks, if you do elaborate on that a bit.

Actually the description of the extension sums it up pretty well:

Plenty of sites and services use intermediary pages. Some use them for tracking purposes, others to reduce the display of web addresses on their sites, or to earn revenue. Depending on the type of intermediary page, users may be redirected automatically to the destination, may wait before they may continue, or are required to complete an action.

FastForward bypasses intermediary pages automatically. The extension works automatically once it is installed in a compatible browser.

So it's makes your browsing experience safer and more private as it directly sends you to the requested sites instead of multiple redirects through intermediary pages. URL shorteners like bit.ly for example redirect you through multiple sites before you can access the requested content. Also some shady sites, often related to p**n have redirects to scam or malicious sites when accidentally clicking on ads that your adblocker might have missed. If it's really necessary is up to you and the way you browse the web.

 

[amirr]

@SecureKongo Thank you. I now understand technically that it is wise and also practical to use it.

 

[amirr]

@SecureKongo Today in Edge stable, I noticed this red box under the icon of SR:

Is this the same for you?

 

[Kongo]

@SecureKongo Today in Edge stable, I noticed this red box under the icon of SR:
View attachment 268655
Is this the same for you?

I only get this box, when the extension actually skips one or multiple redirects. You should also see a small pop-up for a couple of seconds in the right upper corner in which it shows the skipped website:

 

[amirr]

I only get this box, when the extension actually skips one or multiple redirects. You should also see a small pop-up for a couple of seconds in the right upper corner in which it shows the skipped website:

View attachment 268656

uninstallation and reinstall did fix it.

 

[ItsReallyMe]

 

[HarborFront]

View attachment 269117

Looks like already removed from Chrome Web Store. Read here

Chrome Store version is gone? · Issue #704 · FastForwardTeam/FastForward

Body I tried to open the url (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fastforward/icallnadddjmdinamnolclfjanhfoafe) and the extension is gone. Version 0.0.0 What browsers are you seeing the probl...

github.com

 

[SeriousHoax]

I also noticed it today. But it's not malicious. Google blocked it for the wrong reason.

Google has removed the extension, they said it violates the chrome web store polices as it bypasses paywalls. this is not true, and we have asked google to reconsider the decision. more information of this is available on our discord (Join the FastForward Discord Server!)

For now, you can manually install the extension with instructions here

We can assure you that it is not malicious, and that what you have come across is a false positive.

To be clear, both Microsoft and Mozilla still list the extension, and will probably not remove it.

 

[Kongo]

I also noticed it today. But it's not malicious. Google blocked it for the wrong reason.

I already said that the previous developer stopped developing the extension and handed it over to the new devs. So I wasn't sure wether I should use it nowadays or not. And now after this incident I am not really sure if you should take their word for it. I personally would wait until the extension is back in the chrome web store rather than installing it from their GitHub.

Till then one can use this similar extension: Skip Redirect – Get this Extension for Firefox (en-US)

 

[amirr]

I already said that the previous developer stopped developing the extension and handed it over to the new devs. So I wasn't sure wether I should use it nowadays or not. And now after this incident I am not really sure if you should take their word for it. I personally would wait until the extension is back in the chrome web store rather than installing it from their GitHub.

Till then one can use this similar extension: Skip Redirect – Get this Extension for Firefox (en-US)

Hi man how are you?
Today in this post:

Serious Discussion - Kaspersky\VPN\KSOS 21.8 betas

No! See flabuert1971 pictures, and see my pictures. Are you see the differences??? Maybe this light green background color is only for plus and premium. No color in free version too, see this video towards end -

malwaretips.com

Skip Redirect did not work, and ended up getting back to this forum, instead of the YouTube video.
Until I changed the settings to these highlighted parts below:
Should I keep the settings remain in those parts? Thank you.

 

[Kongo]

Hi man how are you?
Today in this post:

Serious Discussion - Kaspersky\VPN\KSOS 21.8 betas

No! See flabuert1971 pictures, and see my pictures. Are you see the differences??? Maybe this light green background color is only for plus and premium. No color in free version too, see this video towards end -

malwaretips.com

Skip Redirect did not work, and ended up getting back to this forum, instead of the YouTube video.
Until I changed the settings to these highlighted parts below:
Should I keep the settings remain in those parts? Thank you.

View attachment 274230

The setting you made a screenshot of doesn't make sense actually. It basically says that it only skips redirects for URLs that are listed in the Skip-urls-list. But as you didn't add any URLs there, it won't do anything.

Those are the settings that work for me:

 

[amirr]

The setting you made a screenshot of doesn't make sense actually. It basically says that it only skips redirects for URLs that are listed in the Skip-urls-list. But as you didn't add any URLs there, it won't do anything.

Those are the settings that work for me:

View attachment 274231

It did not work for me. What browser do you use? I use Edge stable now:

https://i.postimg.cc/RZNd7mK8/image.png