>(these query params are tracking information)

Query strings are useful for way more than just tracking. Saving and servicing search queries is a way more common use case. So assuming it's only useful for tracking is very misleading.

Query strings are probably the least invasive tracking. They are transparent, obvious, and anonymous. Users are free to strip out and edit query strings if they don't want them.

More to the point, I can essentially do the same thing with HTTP routing - create an infinite number of unique URLs for tracking purposes. In that regard calling out query strings specifically for essentially the same thing but more transparently seems like splitting hairs.

Yeah I do not see an alternative way to easily copy paste links with things like filter settings saved.

Filters especially make sense as query params as they are non sequential but still visually readable as to what they do.

URL slugs make sense for sequential pages that are hierarchical but make no sense for non hierarchical data/routes.

Services can force tracking into links by encoding the whole url into a shortlink that makes it impossible to just remove the tracking alone as everything is encoded into a shorter non editable string.

Thank you for explaining to me that query parameters can be used for other purposes apart from tracking. The articles in question though, are railing against query parameters being abused for tracking purposes - passing referers (sic) and UTM by adding them to URLs of sites that neither process them, nor want them.