I don't ever recall being able to put links into socials, but I've only been playing since 2002. The only way I think that may be possible is if you were to edit one of the .ini files to include the item's identifier code string. That would only work for that one item though. You cannot insert clickable item links into socials from within the game by any means that I know of.
I think I remember that. Like when I was grouping in FM (yes, Frontier Mountains, this was probably 5 years ago or so) and people would "/em has looted a Forest Loop" or whatever, and it get the whole group excited because everyone thought a Floop just dropped :P