When I search for something on Google and then go to Videos tab, I get a URL like

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=569877865&q=tester&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjhvKfjsdWBAxU1k4kEHadiCHUQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=2990&bih=1507&dpr=0.8

(url for searching tester in Incognito mode without active extensions)

What is sca_esv? ClearURLs extension does not block it.

From what I can tell, the number stays the same cross-search—even when I am in incognito mode.

• Mine is 569877865
• Removing the query parameter does not seem to affect the results of search

Useful Information

• Not UNIX time. The time is constant as well as being Friday, January 22, 1988
• Does not appear to be tied to IP. When I change location in VPN, I still get 569877865
• When Googling "sca_esv" the first result is a HN article with sca esv=560664892 perhaps there is some A/B testing Google is doing with sca_esvtargetting programmers?
• Googling on my iPhone, I get sca_esv=569877865
• Mullvad browser (without VPN, signed out of Google) I also get sca_esv=569877865
• Mullvad browser (with VPN, signed out of Google) I get 569877865
• Tor Browser fresh install (signed out of Google) I get sca_esv=569877865 what???? how does it know... circuit is even in a different country (Netherlands while I am in Chicago)
• I had my friend search hi string and they got a different sca_esv. When they search tester they got the same sca_esv as me when I search tester (569877865). It looks like it is related to the query possibly. It is sticky: searching tester then hi, hi will have the same sca_esv as tester (569877865). It appears to be sticky even across many different browsing sessions on Firefox for my friend.
• testersca_esv has priority over hisca_esv. Once my friend searched for tester, they were stuck with it and could not get back to hisca_esv

I think it is some type of tracker ID that unifies all my devices. Is this correct?

Brainstorming sca_esv meaning

Asking ChatGPT to brainstorm what sca and esv could stand for in the context of a Google search:

1. sca:

   • Search Context Algorithm: It could denote a specific algorithm or process Google is using for the search context.
   • Session Context Attribute: It might be related to session information or a specific attribute for the session.
   • System Component Assignment: It could denote a specific system or component handling the request.
   • Security Check Algorithm: Perhaps related to a security or verification process.

2. esv:

   • Engine Search Version: It could represent a version of the search engine or process.
   • Encoded Session Value: As mentioned before, it could be an encoded value related to the session or user.
   • Experiment Set Value: It could be a value indicating a specific set or group in A/B testing or similar experiments.
   • Enhanced Search Value: Maybe it's indicative of a specific mode or enhanced search feature being used.

I hope this doesn't go against SO ChatGPT rules.