What the Motorola Amazon redirect scandal is about
The Motorola Amazon redirect scandal refers to certain Motorola smartphones silently routing launches of the Amazon Shopping app through web-based affiliate tracking links, so that a third party could potentially earn commission on users’ purchases, before finally opening the normal Amazon app interface as if nothing unusual had happened. Users first raised the alarm on Reddit after noticing that tapping the Amazon icon in the app drawer briefly opened Chrome, flashed a strange URL, then handed off to the Amazon app. Further tests by outlets such as 9to5Google confirmed the same pattern on devices like the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra and Razr Fold. Because the behavior was baked into a pre-installed system component and activated without consent, it has become a prominent smartphone privacy issue and a notable affiliate link controversy for Motorola.
How Motorola phones hijacked Amazon app launches
In affected devices, the issue only appeared when users launched Amazon from the app drawer. The phone briefly opened Chrome, then contacted a third-party site, kira-abboud.com, which injected an Amazon affiliate tag labeled “sramz-kff-008-20” before handing control to the installed Amazon Shopping app. Reports linked this behavior to Motorola’s pre-installed Smart Feed app, with problems starting after Smart Feed updated to version 2.03.0070 while older builds like 2.03.0056 did not show the same redirect. Network logs also revealed calls to devicenative.com, an ad-tech firm focused on on-device monetization and an apparent Motorola partner. According to Smartprix, the affiliate code ties back to fashion influencer Kira Abboud, underscoring how consumer app launches were being quietly turned into monetizable traffic through a smartphone privacy issue users never opted into.
Motorola’s explanation: ‘unintended’ routing and a quick fix
Motorola has now acknowledged the problem and framed it as a configuration mistake rather than a deliberate cash grab. The company says it worked with Device Native to build an “app search and suggestion experience” inside the Moto App Launcher, meant to help users find and open installed apps faster. Motorola explains that a faulty routing configuration in this system caused some Amazon Shopping launches to be sent through a “web tracking link” first, which it calls “unintended” behavior that led to an inconsistent user experience. The firm claims it has corrected the routing so “all installed apps” open directly again and says no further action is required from users. However, Motorola has not clearly explained how affiliate-link behavior entered its software at all, leaving lingering questions about oversight of on-device monetization partners.
Why this affiliate link controversy matters for privacy
Even if this was a bug, the Amazon app hijacking incident shows how fragile trust in pre-installed software can be. System-level apps like Smart Feed sit in a privileged position: they can observe or reshape how other apps launch, often without clear user awareness. Redirecting a shopping app through a browser-based affiliate URL may not expose payment data, but it still adds hidden tracking to what users thought was a direct, private interaction. It also creates incentives for ad-tech partners to experiment with more aggressive monetization schemes. As AndroidAuthority points out, the behavior highlights “how” subtle design choices in app launchers can morph into a smartphone privacy issue when combined with advertising infrastructure. Even if Amazon purchases remained intact, the quiet insertion of affiliate codes showed users that their devices can be monetized in ways they were never told about.
How to check your phone and protect yourself
Motorola says the routing has been fixed server-side, but cautious users may still want to verify their devices and lock down similar problems. First, open the Amazon Shopping app from your app drawer and watch closely: if a browser window no longer flashes before Amazon appears, the redirect is likely gone. Next, check the Smart Feed app in Settings under Apps; if you see version 2.03.0070 or later and feel uneasy, you can disable Smart Feed altogether, which Smartprix notes stops the redirects without affecting normal phone use. You can also monitor your network traffic with a trusted firewall app and look for unexpected calls to domains like devicenative.com. Finally, treat any pre-installed content or recommendation feeds as potential data-collection points and trim or disable those you do not need.