Why can't I see embedded social media posts?
January 9, 2018 6:25 PM Subscribe
A couple of weeks ago, I suddenly couldn't see Tweets embedded anywhere outside of Twitter. I can't see Instagram embeds or Facebook embeds.
I can't even see Facebook comments on sites that use them, like Buzzfeed. Come to think about it, I can't even see Buzzfeed's in-house comment system anymore. Everything looks fine when I go to Twitter or Facebook, just not on other sites. I still post embeds at more than one site, and no one has complained about not being able to see them. I just get a blank box for Instagram and plain text for Twitter embeds.
I Googled the question, and the results make it appear that no one has ever had this problem before. I use Firefox on a 2016 iMac running High Sierra. I've rebooted, repaired the disk, installed all updates. I do not use AdBlock. Anything else I can try?
I can't even see Facebook comments on sites that use them, like Buzzfeed. Come to think about it, I can't even see Buzzfeed's in-house comment system anymore. Everything looks fine when I go to Twitter or Facebook, just not on other sites. I still post embeds at more than one site, and no one has complained about not being able to see them. I just get a blank box for Instagram and plain text for Twitter embeds.
I Googled the question, and the results make it appear that no one has ever had this problem before. I use Firefox on a 2016 iMac running High Sierra. I've rebooted, repaired the disk, installed all updates. I do not use AdBlock. Anything else I can try?
Best answer: There was a new major release called Firefox Quantum in November. Is that when everything broke? Do you perhaps have Tracking Protection turned on?
posted by fedward at 7:05 PM on January 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by fedward at 7:05 PM on January 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Perhaps it could be using a privacy filtering DNS that's intercepting those modules? Is it possible a well meaning relative tuned up your internet settings and made that change?
posted by msbutah at 7:27 PM on January 9, 2018
posted by msbutah at 7:27 PM on January 9, 2018
It's a privacy setting somewhere. Look for "Twitter widgets" as a choice in Firefox.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:40 PM on January 9, 2018
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:40 PM on January 9, 2018
Does this happen in all browsers? You need to narrow this down. If you use Firefox, see if it works in Chrome, Internet Explorer or Safari.
I have a privacy extensions and tracking blockers in Firefox that don't allow tweets to be displayed properly embedded in news articles. Not sure which one does it, but I use Ghostery, Disconnect and Privacy Badger, so I assume one of them is what does it. When I run into this, I click an extension that opens the webpage in Chrome for me so I can see them.
posted by AppleTurnover at 8:08 PM on January 9, 2018
I have a privacy extensions and tracking blockers in Firefox that don't allow tweets to be displayed properly embedded in news articles. Not sure which one does it, but I use Ghostery, Disconnect and Privacy Badger, so I assume one of them is what does it. When I run into this, I click an extension that opens the webpage in Chrome for me so I can see them.
posted by AppleTurnover at 8:08 PM on January 9, 2018
Response by poster: Bingo! It was the Firefox Quantum update. I went to preferences, searched for tracking protection, turned it off, and now I'm in business!
Thanks, fedward! This was driving me crazy.
posted by Miss Cellania at 8:12 PM on January 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Thanks, fedward! This was driving me crazy.
posted by Miss Cellania at 8:12 PM on January 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by jessamyn at 6:37 PM on January 9, 2018