Tell HN: X is opening any tweet link in a webview whether you press it or not

Article summary

The CEO of Substack noticed an increase in traffic from Twitter, which is attributed to Twitter's new behavior of loading links in a webview in the background, even if the user doesn't click on them. This change has caused a surge in traffic for websites linked from Twitter. The author of the post suggests that this is not a genuine increase in engagement, but rather a result of Twitter's new link handling. Twitter's CEO had previously expressed concerns about users sharing links to other platforms.

Main themes

• Twitter link handling
• Traffic increase
• Platform changes
• User experience
• Social media evolution

What commenters say

• The new link handling behavior is seen as a positive change, improving distribution for authors and content creators.
• Some users prefer to open links in their own browser, allowing for better control and tracing of links.
• The change is viewed as a step towards creating a 'mega app' like WeChat, with integrated services and features.
• Others are concerned about the potential for increased surveillance and control, with the webview allowing Twitter to inject its own JavaScript.
• There are differing opinions on whether Twitter was previously suppressing links, with some arguing that the platform was already biased towards certain types of content.
• The discussion touches on the idea of an 'open internet' and the role of large tech companies in controlling online experiences.
• Some commenters are skeptical of the Twitter Files and their portrayal of government involvement in content moderation.
• The change in link handling is seen as part of a broader trend towards more restrictive and controlled online platforms.