Motorola Affiliate Hijacking on Amazon App Was Unintended

Motorola Confirms Unintended Affiliate Tracking on Amazon App

Motorola has officially confirmed that a recently discovered issue, which caused some of its smartphones to redirect users to an affiliate tracking website before opening the Amazon app, was “unintended” and has been “promptly corrected.” The company did not provide a detailed explanation of how the error was introduced, but assured users that the problem has been resolved.

What Happened: The Affiliate Redirect Issue

The unusual behavior was first reported by 9to5Google after being spotted by a Reddit user. When launching the Amazon Shopping app on certain Motorola phones, users experienced a brief redirect to the phone’s browser before returning to the Amazon app. During this split-second visit, a tracking cookie was installed, which added an affiliate code to the user’s shopping session.

Affiliate Code Linked to Fashion Influencer

Surprisingly, the redirect sent users to a website linked to fashion influencer Kira Abboud, though the affiliate code did not match any of her other content. While the redirect did not directly affect the user experience, it could theoretically allow the affiliate to receive a small percentage of any purchase made during that session.

Motorola’s Official Statement on the Incident

In a statement to The Verge, Allison Yi, Motorola’s executive director of product management, explained: “Recently, Motorola acted quickly to resolve an issue that was identified, which caused some users in the US launching the Amazon Shopping app to be routed through a web tracking link before opening the app. This behavior was unintended and resulted in an inconsistent user experience.”

How the Error Was Corrected

Yi confirmed that the company promptly corrected the routing configuration. “Users can now expect all installed apps to launch directly as intended,” she added. Motorola also emphasized its commitment to user privacy and platform integrity, stating that it will continue to monitor the system closely.

Root Cause: App Search and Suggestion Feature

Yi attributed the redirect to an “app search and suggestion experience for the Moto App Launcher” that was codeveloped with Device Native. It was Device Native’s website that the Reddit user noticed being queried by the phone before the redirect to kira-abboud.com.

Device Native’s Role and Response

Device Native, which claims to deliver “personalized, on-device mobile ad serving without sharing user data,” had a public documentation page for its Motorola integration. That page has since been taken offline, although the Internet Archive has preserved a copy. Motorola did not comment on whether Device Native was directly responsible for the error.

User Privacy and Future Monitoring

Motorola reiterated its commitment to user privacy, stating: “Motorola takes user experience, privacy, and platform integrity seriously and will continue to closely monitor the system to ensure expected behavior across devices.” The company did not disclose how the issue was introduced in the first place.

What This Means for Motorola Users

For Motorola users in the US, the affiliate redirect issue has been fully resolved. The company’s swift response highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in mobile software practices. While the incident did not result in direct harm to users, it serves as a reminder of how affiliate tracking can be misused.

Key Takeaways for Consumers

• Check for updates: Ensure your Motorola device is running the latest software to avoid similar issues.
• Monitor app behavior: Be aware of unusual redirects or browser launches when opening apps.
• Understand affiliate links: Affiliate tracking is common in online shopping, but should always be disclosed transparently.

Motorola’s handling of this incident demonstrates its commitment to correcting unintended behavior quickly. Users can now use the Amazon app without worrying about hidden tracking cookies.