Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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WhatsApp is ignoring default browser setting for Instagram links. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by narwhal@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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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!

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[–] felbane@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year 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.