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!

  • mnoram@lemmy.world
    121·
    1 year ago

    This might be the “Open by default” setting that is now per app in Android. Insta has “9 verified links” that will just open it instead of the default browser. Go to app settings, Instagram, Open by default, and uncheck Open supported links.

      • Redjard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        5·
        1 year ago

        Can you install a detailled permission control app like Permission Manager X and disable whatsapps permission to see the list of installed apps?
        If it thinks instagram isn’t installed, it ought to fall back on using the regular url system if its ignoring that purposefully here, right?

  • zingo@lemmy.ca
    132·
    1 year ago

    Man, if you really value your privacy you shouldn’t use WhatsApp (difficult of course as everyone uses it)

    and social media (difficult as everyone use it), except for Lemmy, Mastodon or Signal !!

    Privacy is not an easy path as it’s against the whole mainstream society.

    But its worth embracing, because it’s a human right, even if it’s not “comfortable” doing so.

    Edit: there is of course other ways of communication like regular phone calls or sending SMS instead of WhatsApp messages. So feel free to liberate yourself.

    • narwhal@lemmy.mlOP
      5·
      1 year ago

      I’m aware. So even though I have to use them, I try to limit trackings as much as I can.

      • zingo@lemmy.ca
        4·
        1 year ago

        If I was forced to use WhatsApp, I would use shelter (or work profile) to separate it from the main profile.

  • whale@lemm.ee
    7·
    1 year 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·
      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.

      • whale@lemm.ee
        3·
        1 year 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·
          1 year 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·
          1 year 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·
            1 year 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”

  • Natanael@slrpnk.net
    1·
    1 year ago

    You can circumvent it using Intent intercept apps, so unless Whatsapp specifically looks for the APK and call it directly (and just use normal intent URL schemes) then you can simply redirect that request.