Do people actually appreciate URL shorteners?

[thing@plasmatrap.com]

@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.

[joshg@mathstodon.xyz]

@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.

[neblib@mastodo.neoliber.al]

@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.

[raymaccarthy@mastodon.ie]

@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,

[finickydesert_1@social.vivaldi.net]

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

[paveljanicek@mamutovo.cz]

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

[combs@mastodon.art]

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

[nothacking@infosec.exchange]

@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

[catsalad@infosec.exchange]

@paveljanicek @hpod16 Works great! :3

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

[crazyeddie@mastodon.social]

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

[nieldk@infosec.exchange]

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

[timdesuyo@mastodon.social]

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

[juanejot@beige.party]

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

[catsalad@infosec.exchange]

@juanejot @hpod16

Let's get creepy then! https://creepylink.com/

[juanejot@beige.party]

@hpod16 @catsalad Yeah, that one worked, but I’m disappointed not to see anything about the free dinner just for listening to a time-share sales pitch, where it linked me to.

[xyhhx@nso.group]

@hpod16 theyre nice when i have to share a long url to a device that i have to type it out on, but i know where the link goes and only use open source ones

something something im an outlier and shouldn't be counted

[xyhhx@nso.group]

@catsalad @paveljanicek @hpod16 https://support.ic6do.com/Ireqke_invoice lmao

[xyhhx@nso.group]

@catsalad @paveljanicek @hpod16 omg @ivpn 's anti tracker blocked it

[caracabe@zirk.us]

@hpod16 Yes, in some circumstances: if I trust the shortening service and it’s a printed URL (for inside, on a flyer) that I’ll have to type.

[lnl@screaminginsi.de]

@hpod16 if displayed to be retyped, like on a presentation screen or in print, sure. On web, don't.