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!
Don’t such apps require root permission to work? If an app directly specifies an other app for opening the link, I don’t think you could intercept (or even detect) it with an other app on a regular phone.
Most apps just use a custom intent scheme and thus you can in fact intercept
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aboutmycode.betteropenwith
https://f-droid.org/packages/com.tasomaniac.openwith.floss/