---
title: Is a Meta Tag or rel='noreferrer' a Better Option for Controlling Referrer Information?
description: "Is the tag a viable alternative to rel='noopener noreferrer'? Learn the differences, considerations, and benefits of each method in this comprehensive guide. Find out which option is best for your website's security and analytics needs. Read more at the provided link."
---
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[Admin](https://jaeves.com/codelab/author/admin)Oct 11, 2023, 11:04:47 AM1 min read
# Is a Meta Tag or rel='noreferrer' a Better Option for Controlling Referrer Information?
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The `` tag, when placed in the `` section of an HTML document, controls the behavior of the `Referer` header for all links on the page. Setting it to `no-referrer` means that no referrer information will be sent when users click on links, whether internal or external.
### Differences and Considerations:
- **Scope**: The `` tag applies to all links on the page, while `rel="noreferrer"` can be applied selectively to individual links.
- **Compatibility**: Both methods are well-supported in modern browsers, but older browsers may not respect the `` tag.
- **Analytics**: Both methods would prevent the referrer from being sent, which might affect analytics if you're tracking inbound links.
- **SEO**: Both methods are aligned with Google's guidelines concerning the security of outbound links, but the `` tag is a more blanket approach and might not be necessary if you only want to control specific external links.
- **Performance and Security**: Both `rel="noreferrer"` and `` would provide similar security benefits, protecting against Referer header leaks.
### Summary:
- If you want fine-grained control over which links should not send a `Referer` header, use `rel="noreferrer"`.
- If you're okay with a blanket policy of not sending a `Referer` header for any links on a specific page, then the `` tag is an effective solution.
So, yes, `` could "do the trick" in terms of security, but it will apply universally to all links on the page, not just the external ones that open in a new tab. Make sure this is in line with your requirements before implementing it.
Read more about that on: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Referrer-Policy
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