topic Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help in Galaxy Note Series

O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 11:19:43 GMT

O2 my provider appears to have hijacked Samsung Internet default page to go to O2.

My phone is NOT locked to them, i recently moved to O2 , installed their app and find that there is no setting to remove or change the default homepage.

Note: I know i can use custom setting but default is always shown as O2.

Despite uninstalling O2 app and Samsung Internet I cannot find out where this is set. It must be done in the system. Annoying!

When reinstalling Samsung internet the default is back to O2. Can you tell me how they have done this and how to change it? I'm on Android 12 with note 10 plus

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

Neo001 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 11:45:59 GMT

Check if you can change it in Samsung Internet > Settings > Homepage

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 11:59:03 GMT

Thanks for the reply .
I took the sim out and the uninstalled /reinstalled Samsung Internet.

That removed the o2 link, and curiously the actual option "default " was no longer there. The choices were now "quick access" or "custom".

I changed default browser to Firefox and reinstalled O2 app and found tge default setting was back in SI, Firefox untouched.

So there must be some internal system setting that allows a Network Op to set a default oage which is not avaliable to us, the user and owners of our devices.

Irritating!

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

Neo001 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:08:29 GMT

Interesting! This shouldnt be allowed though ( it's a covert way of advertising).

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:12:32 GMT

I agree . We should have control

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

keith30 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:44:39 GMT

I'm with o2 with my S22ultra but I can have either o2 or Google as my default browser.

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:54:12 GMT

Ok maybe this has changed on S22 internally. Are you on Android 12?

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

keith30 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:26:01 GMT

Yeah I'm still on Android 12 till the Android 13 comes available which I believe should later this month or early Nov, my last phone S8+ was the same with o2 but now when I moved upto the S22 I could choose the default or the o2 browser when setting it up, I found o2 was better than the Google one and I use the Samsung Internet browser app as Chrome has too many bugs in it so you have to be careful incase of malware being installed though it.

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

Paulf1 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:55:54 GMT

All the networks do it only way to completely avoid it is to get the phone straight from samsung..

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:56:10 GMT

Ok so it's a sysyem hook probably made available to providers via an API maybe unless there's a hidden setting.
Noticeable was the "default " is missing normally, it's either quick, custom, or current page, till something sets a default. Given that this doesnt change if SI is uninstalled it has to be a autem setting somewhere

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:57:39 GMT

I did say this phone is not a network phone, it therefore has no provider stuff . It came from Samsung and is unlocked

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

Paulf1 — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:55:43 GMT

It shouldn't have any bloatware then mines from Samsung using 3uk and I don't get any 3uk interference I just have the 3uk app to see my remaining data etc, strange..I suppose other networks may have it as part of there pay as u go sim not sure been with 3uk for years..

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

NawtyRobot — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:05:41 GMT

It's most likely something the O2 app did, the problem is it may take a factory reset to get rid off it

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:29:47 GMT

No , take out the sim abd reinstall SI does it, but it's back when sim and o2 app installed

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:32:14 GMT

I dont get an "interface ", it just sets a homepage default to go to o2 site.
Non consentual hijack.
It may be unique to o2 who use this hack, I donr know

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

Glenn_H — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 11:36:26 GMT

Hello, did anyone find a solution for this? I know this is an old thread but I've just come across it after searchung for an answer. I've been with Vodafone for about a year but was previously with O2. I have just purchased an S25 ultra direct from Samsung and upon opening a new tab on SI it's opened a default O2 page. Into the settings I went and sure enough, the same as you, I have default and it's set to O2. This should definitely not be allowed. I haven't had O2 for that long there's no way it should have made it's way to this brand new phone. I haven't consented to it on this phone in any way whatsoever. Surely this has to be illegal??

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

AndrewL — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 12:25:27 GMT

@Glenn_H: It should be possible to change your default homepage by opening the Samsung Internet app > Head to your preferred homepage e.g. Google.com > Tap the 3 lines in the bottom right > Settings > Homepage > Current page.

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:07:40 GMT

the point is STILL that O2 is allowed to hijack the default setting and no one has provided an answer how to revers this. A workaround is the best we have but it's not good enough. these devices belong to those that paid for them!!!

Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

AndrewL — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:26:26 GMT

@louiscar: While I do appreciate your viewpoint, this is simply a default setting brought about by network carrier software, and can be easily remedied and customised to your preference via the steps provided.

Re: Re: O2 Hijacked Samsung Internet homepage need help

louiscar — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 03:26:33 GMT

The "Network" has NO business trying to force their wills on an UNLOCKED non network phone, period!!!