Do people actually appreciate URL shorteners?

@hpod16 I use it for 1 purpose: for some shared Google document I create a custom, descriptive URL

@hpod16 they hide destinations for users and apps, it’s a security and privacy threat. And it also breaks apps integration: the link is first open in a browser and then into the appropriate apps (yes I'm looking at you @lemonde and @pixelsfr).

@molenaar @hpod16 IIRC that's common among most social networks, including Twitter; the time of link shorteners is over, aside from the ones that google forces on users (don't copy&paste links out of google apps, you get a tracking shortened link)

@hpod16 We are not representative for the human race here.... regrettably

@hpod16 I prefer URL embiggeners (especially the sketchy looking ones)

https://phishyurl.com/

@hpod16@eupolicy.social I don’t like them, but if it’s something like youtu.be links where you don’t really lose information, then it’s ok.

@hpod16 I hate them, do not like or trust them, and just muted The Conversation UK a few minutes for using them.

Never use URL shorteners at any time, for any reason, under any circumstance, is my opinion.

EDIT: Unfortunately, I do regularly share YouTube links, hypocritically.

@hpod16@eupolicy.social straight up NO.
if the url is too long, just use markdown to turn it into a small link text. or, use the similar thing in html.

@hpod16
only for live presentations where the participants need to type something in from on-screen, and only if the URL is awkwardly long with random looking bits.

@hpod16 intranet / group / own shorteners (where authentication and auditing with consequences can happen) - yes they are great, especially at big orgs.

Internet sourced and shared - no, way too easy to do bad things.

@hpod16
They are potentially evil. Only existed because original Twitter was a stupid design and had too small a text limit as if the Internet was an early GSM phone,

It's tricky; i think it's neat but, it's prone to misdirect people into malicious sites.

@catsalad @hpod16 Or, https://creepylink.com

@hpod16 @joshg That plus QR codes, which get harder to scan as url length increases!

@hpod16 No, it just adds another failure point. If you have annoyingly long URLs like:

example.com/cgi-bin/pages/2025/02/13/posts/pages.php?article=rocks&format=html

... you should fix that. If you absolutely must, just set a short link on the same server:

Redirect example.com/rocks -> example.com/cgi-bin/pages/2025/02/13/posts/pages.php?article=rocks&format=html

@paveljanicek @hpod16 Works great! :3

https://service.hf25u.link/hidden_oodRd3_account_verification.pdf

@hpod16 "I don't care" is a no btw

@paveljanicek https://ic6do.com/N0DA2K_urgent_update.docm

@hpod16 I would only ever use it for the link in my bio.

@catsalad @hpod16 Your phishy URL asked me to come out & play, but my adblocker wouldn’t let me…