Hyperlink previews

[rotojp]

I have:

• searched open and closed issues for duplicates
• read https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports

Bug description

When sending hyperlinks, Signal currently displays no previews.
This may be a feature lowering adaptation of Signal, as with #5445.

Screenshots

Google Allo

Telegram

[TimesEnemy]

Greets.

I would rather a feature like this be optional and off by default. It will just generate more traffic and create unnecessary potential security holes. Perhaps when a link is created or detected by Signal, Signal could offer a checkbox or option to include a hyperlink preview into the mix.

[kmindi]

I agree with @TimesEnemy that this is at least a privacy issue and can also be a security issue concerning automatic loading of content from literally any source.

[2-4601]

WhatsApp does this on the client-side and only for the sender. When the sender types a link in the compose box WA detects it and fetches a preview.

[altring]

Desktop version also needs this :)

[Trolldemorted]

Having the sender generate the preview is reasonable, i guess. A checkbox (that remembers the previous choice) would be great, as i'd propably never want to use this feature.

[E3V3A]

Preview is a horrible privacy killer. Why even bother to use Signal if you want this? Just use Fb messenger or WhatsApp. Please close issue as N/A.

[rmueller83]

At least in iMessage this feature sucks ;-) http://rsmck.co.uk/blog/imessage-preview/

[oittaa]

@E3V3A what's wrong with the approach proposed in this thread?

1. Make the feature optional.
2. Sender device (which obviously trusts the the link more or less) fetches a preview and packs it in the message.

To me that looks like a zero privacy issue for the recipient. The current model sucks from usability perspective.

1. Take a screenshot from a webpage.
2. Attach the screenshot to a message.
3. Add the correct URL to the message.

Only the last step should be needed in a modern messenger.

[l0rn]

i like the proposal of @oittaa . Eleminate the privacy issue by only letting the sender device download stuff and put the result in a message. I'd like to see that feature for random cat content gif urls I paste in the text field. Like Telegram does, but with only let my device download it.

[mderazon]

This is one of my favorite features in other IMs. I see some comments about security / privacy issues but they are not giving any examples. I can't think of any issue with that and i'm interested to know.

Actually, I find myself often not needing to open the link because I already know what the link is about so if anything, it's a 👍 for privacy / security :-)

Anyway, it's a huge plus for usability IMO.

[snaggen]

There is a library for fetching the preview information like this
https://github.com/LeonardoCardoso/Android-Link-Preview/

So when someone pastes/type in/shares a link, it shouldn't be that hard to use this to fetch the preview information. Then this could be sent as some kind of attachment with the link.