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Is Your Motorola Phone Secretly Hijacking Your Amazon Links?

Some Motorola phones are quietly rerouting Amazon links through a third-party site and adding affiliate codes, and most users have no idea it is happening.

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom
  • Motorola phones redirect Amazon links via third-party.
  • Smart Feed app update is likely the cause.
  • Affiliate code used is unexpected and unclear.

Some Motorola phones have been found quietly intercepting Amazon links and rerouting them through a third-party URL before adding an affiliate code and sending users to Amazon. The issue was first spotted by a Reddit user who noticed his Motorola Razr 60 Ultra was making requests to devicenative.com, a company that provides personalised, on-device mobile ads. 

The preloaded Smart Feed app on the device was found to be handling these redirects, raising serious questions about what Motorola is doing with user traffic behind the scenes.

What Is Causing The Amazon Link Redirect On Motorola Phones?

According to research by 9to5Google, a recent Smart Feed update, version 2.03.0070, appears to be responsible for the behaviour. However, the outlet was unable to reproduce the issue on a separate Moto phone after sideloading the same app, which makes the situation harder to pin down.

What adds another layer of strangeness is that the affiliate code being injected into Amazon links appears to belong to a fashion influencer. 

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It is unclear why Motorola would use a third-party affiliate code, particularly one that does not match any of the codes publicly associated with that influencer. This opens up the possibility that the code is being spoofed or impersonated rather than legitimately used.

Could The Smart Feed App Be Compromised?

There are a few ways to read this situation. The Smart Feed app may have been compromised, leading to this behaviour without Motorola's direct involvement. 

Alternatively, with component pricing on the rise, Motorola may be looking at indirect affiliate revenue as a way to offset costs.

ALSO READ: The Story That May Have Been Written By ChatGPT Just Won A Prestigious Literary Prize

If it turns out the app was compromised, Motorola will need to act fast. Letting this linger will only hurt the company's reputation and erode user trust at a time when consumers already have plenty of reasons to be cautious about pre-installed apps.

For now, Motorola phone owners are advised to disable the Smart Feed app, even if they have not personally noticed anything unusual.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is causing Amazon links to be redirected on some Motorola phones?

A recent update to the preloaded Smart Feed app, version 2.03.0070, appears to be responsible for the redirection of Amazon links.

Where do the redirected Amazon links go?

The links are rerouted through devicenative.com, a company that provides personalized mobile ads, before being sent to Amazon with an affiliate code.

Whose affiliate code is being added to Amazon links?

The affiliate code appears to belong to a fashion influencer, though it's unclear if it's being used legitimately or if it's spoofed.

What is the recommended action for Motorola phone owners?

Motorola phone owners are advised to disable the Smart Feed app, even if they haven't personally noticed any unusual behavior.

About the author Annie Sharma

Annie Sharma is a technology journalist at ABP Live English, focused on breaking down complex tech stories into clear, reader-friendly narratives. Gaining hands-on experience in digital storytelling and news writing with leading publications, Annie believes technology should feel accessible rather than overwhelming, and follows a clear, reader-first approach in her work.

For tips and queries, you can reach out to her at annies@abpnetwork.com.

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