Google's mysterious 'search[.]app' links leave Android users concerned

Google has left Android users puzzled after the most recent update to the Google mobile app causes links shared from the app to now be prepended with a mysterious "search[.]app" domain.

Put simply, search[.]app is a URL redirector domain, much like t[.]co used by X (formerly Twitter), Google's g[.]co, or Meta's m[.]me.

Prepending links with "https://search[.]app?link=" gives Google enhanced visibility into how links are being externally shared by the Google app users and who are clicking on these links (i.e. referrers).

In addition to collecting analytics, by placing itself between users and external links by using the "search[.]app" domain, Google now has the ability to block traffic to phishing or hacked domains, should a website go rogue, or in the event that users are mass-sharing questionable content with each other (such as a scam site).

See more: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/googles-mysterious-searchapp-links-leave-android-users-concerned/

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