Instagram Confirms Bug With iMessage Link Previews, Promises Fix Soon

Instagram has confirmed that a bug is preventing proper Instagram URL previews from appearing in iMessage conversations. In a statement to Mashable, Instagram says the behavior is not normal, and that it's "working to resolve Instagram link previews in iMessage so that they load normally."

OverPage 0

The lack of link previews was first brought up on Reddit around two months ago, so it seems the issue has been going on for a long time. Mashable implies that Instagram was not aware of the bug until it reached out for comment, which triggered the Facebook-owned social network to conduct an investigation.

Normally, sending an Instagram URL on iMessage generates a preview of the photo/video, alongside the account which posted it, and a snippet of the caption. Now, the bug is causing links to appear without the thumbnail preview or related information.

Thankfully, there is a logical explanation as to why this is occurring. Security research team Mysk did some digging at the behest of Mashable to backward engineer iMessage and Instagram. The team found that when iMessage attempts to fetch the metadata for the link, Instagram directs the request to its login page. Instagram's login page doesn't hold metadata, which includes a thumbnail of the post.

Mysk is the same security team that, earlier this month, found that Facebook and Instagram link previews could be violating EU privacy laws. Mysk believes that the preview of the link that is generated when a URL is sent in Facebook Messenger and Instagram may be infringing on multiples articles of the ePrivacy directive, which states that personal data can only be accessed by authorized personnel for legal purposes.

As a result, Facebook no longer generates link previews for EU users in Messenger and Instagram. There's no indication, however, that the bug with iMessage is related to the reported breach of privacy law, so it certainly seems to be an issue on Instagram's side.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

FelixDerKater Avatar
27 months ago
Craig goes by the name Hair Force?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topmounter Avatar
27 months ago
PSA: Instagram is Facebook.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Canyda Avatar
27 months ago
I believe it mostly affects people named Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane... ;)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
27 months ago

Craig goes by the name Hair Force?
He has referred to himself as Hair Force One on occasion. ;)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WaxedJacket Avatar
27 months ago
This was happening to me back in December. I sent a bug report to Instagram (following their steps ('https://help.instagram.com/381579045265733')) after doing some trouble shooting on my own. I'm calling BS on them not knowing about it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HeavenDynamic Avatar
27 months ago
Finally, this has been happening for weeks.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
top stories 18mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Pricing, New iOS 16.4 Beta, Siri vs. ChatGPT, and More

Saturday March 18, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase? This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

Friday March 17, 2023 2:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the record currently held by the Xiaomi 13. That's according to the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has divulged accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner, curved bezels compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, potentially resulting in an Apple...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Launching This Year With These 11 New Features

Monday March 13, 2023 6:47 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more. Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A17...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...