Links in Instagram

[monophoto]

I have Firefox set such that clicking a link opens a new tab rather than a new window.  That is, a simple left click on a link immediately opens the link in a new tab.  This seems to work as expected on all sites except

Recently, I've noticed that when on the Instagram site, left-clicking triggers no response at all - no new tab, and no new window.  A right click on the link reveals the usual menu that offers the option to open the link target in either a new tab or a new window.  And in either the new tab or the new window, a simple left click opens new tabs. 

Is this normal?

[jscher2000]

Hi monophoto, which kind of link has the problem? When I click the "link in bio" I get a new tab automatically, but when I click on a photo, the page generates an overlay within the current tab instead of showing it in a new window or tab.

[monophoto]

Maybe some confusion over Instagram terminology here - - -  I consider anything that I can click on to link to some other page to be a 'link'.  That includes photos posted on Instagram. 

Random example - the Instagram page for @osticampinas.

I can do a simple left-click on the link in the bio and Firefox takes me to the web site named in the link.  But nothing happens if I left-click on the images posted on that page.  Instead, if I right-click on an image, I get the popup that offers the option to either open the image in a new tab or open it in a new window. 

As far as I can tell, this behavior is new.  I thought that simple left clicks in FireFox automatically opened the link in a new tab, and a right-click would offer other options.

If I use Chrome rather than FireFox, left-clicking on a posted image opens a new tab showing only that image.  That's the way that I recall FireFox doing it, but I can't say when the change occurred.

[jscher2000]

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@monophoto wrote:

But nothing happens if I left-click on the images posted on that page.  Instead, if I right-click on an image, I get the popup that offers the option to either open the image in a new tab or open it in a new window.

..

If I use Chrome rather than FireFox, left-clicking on a posted image opens a new tab showing only that image.  That's the way that I recall FireFox doing it, but I can't say when the change occurred.

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Wow, for me, clicking any image shows it in a overlay in front of the page (image on the left, comments on the right, previous and next buttons on the sides) in the same tab. I can't tell whether there is an Instagram setting that is different between us, or -- do you use any add-ons that might modify how the links in the page work?

[johnnysindev]

It sounds like you're dealing with Instagram's unique way of handling image links, where photos don't behave as traditional links. While Firefox and Chrome often differ in how they render web elements, Instagram tends to use overlays for images, especially when you click on them, as mentioned by others here.

A quick tip that might help improve your Instagram browsing: If you're managing a business or multiple accounts, tools like Instaup can give you a bit more control and insight into your Instagram activities, making engagement smoother. Just something to consider while troubleshooting those browser quirks!

As for the behavior change, it could be related to Instagram updates or how Firefox handles JavaScript-driven overlays. A possible fix might involve tweaking Firefox’s privacy or security settings, especially if any blocking extensions are active.