this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2025
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46
Google Messages is rethinking how link previews work, but we're not sure it's for the best (www.androidauthority.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] Romkslrqusz@lemmy.zip 52 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Save-a-click:

This beta version of the app makes it so that when you send just a URL, the recipient only sees the preview (primary image, page title, primary domain of web address) That preview gets a color stylization to match the page and the font is different.

The author doesn’t elaborate on the headline bait “We’re not sure it’s for the best”

[–] mustbe3to20signs@feddit.org 40 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It is not for the best since it is a potential security risk and questionable in terms of privacy.

[–] return2ozma@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I hate it. I'm in the beta and it doesn't show the full URL

[–] EnsignWashout@startrek.website 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Oof. Hopefully a security professional will slap some sense into someone before it gets out of beta.

[–] return2ozma@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

The direct URL to your comment turns into this in the preview:

[–] Joelk111@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

Probably not. It's the same issue as Windows File Explorer not showing extensions by default. Asinine.

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Only sees a preview as opposed to a preview and the URL?

[–] Scolding7300@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Given the other replies here: yes

[–] Romkslrqusz@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago

Correct

[–] _cryptagion@anarchist.nexus 21 points 3 weeks ago

The only thing Google could do that was for the best is get hit with a meteorite large enough to wipe out the entire campus.

[–] Nobilmantis@feddit.it 8 points 3 weeks ago

I havent read the article nor the comments yet, but I will guess before I do: Link previews are loaded in google's servers.

[–] danhab99@programming.dev 6 points 3 weeks ago

There is a metadata protocol called opengraph, it's how apps get the information to display a rich preview. Basically the app takes the link as it's written in the SMS message or Twitter thread and then it tries to fetch that page and then read the open graph metadata from inside. That should give it enough to show a title description and a background image, considering the web developers implemented opengraph.

If Google is planning to use their own servers basically as a proxy then all this means is that the opengraph rich metadata is going to be a little more stale than if the app just fetch the page and generated the rich metadata itself