Possibly another scummy behavior from fucking Meta.

So I try my best to avoid url tracking. I set the default browser on my android phone to this app: https://github.com/TrianguloY/UrlChecker

I also made sure to turn off the “Open supported links” settings from aps like Instagram.

So usually, if someone shares Instagram links to WhatsApp, usually with the url tracking, I can clean them up first using UrlChecker before opening it in Instagram app.

Recently I noticed if I tap on Instagram links, WhatsApp will immediately open it in Instagram, ignoring Android’s default browser setting to open the link with UrlChecker first.

I thought something was broken, but if I open non-instagram links, those will open UrlChecker app.

Can you please help check if the behavior is the same on your side? So I can be sure that I’m not crazy. Thanks!

  • whale@lemm.ee
    7·
    9 months ago

    I don’t remember the exact terminology, but an app can define a receiver that is specific to themselves, and other apps can send messages to those receivers. If Facebook/Meta makes Instagram and Facebook/Meta makes WhatsApp, they can do whatever the hell they want between those two apps.

    You might be able to subvert this by putting Instagram on a second profile (e.g. with Shelter) but that’s only a guess, not a guarantee.

    • felbane@lemmy.ml
      7·
      9 months ago

      On Android these are called Intents and yeah it sounds like Metaface is specifically using the Instagram intent when opening an Instagram URL rather than the default browser intent.

      • whale@lemm.ee
        3·
        9 months ago

        I don’t think there is, because in order to intercept the intent, you would have to dedicate some kind of impostor app that looks just like Instagram.

        And for reasons that are probably self-explanatory, I strongly doubt your phone will allow you to use an impostor app. If that was the case, you wouldn’t just be able to intercept messages between the Facebook apps, you (or a malicious user or app) could intercept crucial data.

        • narwhal@lemmy.mlOP
          2·
          9 months ago

          Aw shucks…

          For now I just have to remember not to automatically click on IG links. Need to copy and clean it up first 😔

          Thanks.

        • Natanael@slrpnk.net
          1·
          9 months ago

          It depends on what you’re mimicking. Just registrering the URL scheme? Any app can do that. Mimicking a signed APK with full package name? Can’t do that without root and privacy plugins for Magisk.

          • whale@lemm.ee
            1·
            9 months ago

            I believe OP (@narwhal@lemm.ee) has already tried a URL interceptor, without any luck. If I misunderstood that, though, I would definitely recommend Open Link With, the open source app, as their default “browser”