Disabled external links on trial accounts
Read about how Avion protects recipients of shared story maps by disabling external links during a trial.
Overview
When a story map is shared via a public link from a trial account, any external links inside the story map content are disabled. This includes links in story descriptions, acceptance criteria and comments.
Disabled links still appear in the shared map so you can see them in your preview, but they show with a lock icon and strikethrough. Clicking them opens a notice rather than navigating away.
Why we do this
Public links can be opened by anyone, which is what makes them powerful, and also what makes them an attractive cover for phishing.
To protect the people you share story maps with, Avion disables external links on shares from trial accounts. This stops bad actors spinning up a free account purely to send a polished, Avion-branded phishing message.
Who sees the disabled links?
Everyone. As soon as you preview your own shared story map, you'll see the disabled link styling. That's intentional, so it's clear what others will also see when you share the public link.
How do I enable links?
Links activate automatically once your trial ends and your account moves onto a paid plan. There's nothing to switch on. When your subscription is active, the links in your shared story maps will work as normal.
You can manage your subscription from Plans & Billing.
I received a story map link. Should I be worried?
If you opened a story map link from an email or message and a link inside it was disabled, treat the message that brought you here with caution.
If the sender asked you to log in to Avion (or to any other service) by following a link inside a shared story map, do not enter your credentials. Avion will never ask you to sign in via a shared story map link.
If you're unsure, contact the sender through another channel to verify the message is genuine. You should also report suspected phishing attempts directly to our support team.