Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded over Verizon LTE

Posted by chatmasta on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:10PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Screenshot: https://imgur.com/gallery/agE5q

When I load Facebook mobile over Verizon LTE connection, I see this link in the footer to "VZWToday Home" which links to a seemingly unused domain in German language.

Has anybody seen this? Curious how the link is appearing there. Is Facebook inserting it for all Verizon users, or is Verizon somehow modifying the content of the page?

( 9 comments | 3 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by chatmasta on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:10PM (#14402417)

Clickable screenshot link: https://imgur.com/gallery/agE5q

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by mrpound on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:43PM (#14402753)

It's likely Verizon using Javascript-based content injection to append that link to the footer. ISPs do this sort of thing all the time.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by chatmasta on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:44PM (#14402770)

This page is https.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by mrpound on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:58PM (#14402905)

So what? You don't think an ISP can intercept and break SSL? Transparent proxying is a thing.

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Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by r1ch on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @01:08PM (#14403007)

Unless they installed a MITM certificate on his device, I certainly hope not.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by mrpound on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @01:12PM (#14403031)

True. Looks like it's FB adding the link.

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Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by m3liot on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:49PM (#14402816)

I have it as well.. and it is linking to a website from my mobile operator

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Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by chatmasta on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:59PM (#14402912)

So there you go... must be Facebook inserting it. But why? Maybe related to their "mobile basics" package?

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Re:Ask HN: Facebook.com inserts strange link when loaded ove... by mrpound on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @01:06PM (#14402987)

Just checked on a VZW device (normal data plan) in the US and saw the footer on m.facebook.com and it indeed hits a domain like "lm.facebook.com" before redirecting to the Verizon page, which was in German.

I think the message is just something about the domain being inactive. It must be some old marketing WAP page that's no longer in use.

[ Parent | on HN ]