Facebook, Instagram inject ‘tracking code’ in in-app browser to monitor usage: Report

When users open a link on the Facebook and Instagram apps, they’re taken to the respective page not via a browser of their choice, one installed on their phones, but via Facebook or Instagram’s in-app browser. While this may seem convenient, recent reports suggest parent company Meta may have other motives behind implementing an in-app browser for links.

As per a report by researcher Felix Krause, via Engadget, it is found that the default in-app browser on Facebook and Instagram injects ‘tracking code’ into every website it visits for you, allowing a number of elements to be monitored, likely without the user’s explicit knowledge. These include which ads you click on, which buttons you hit, text selections and more.