Bitly is a convenient URL shortener that Ive used for many years. There is a simple way to quickly determine whats behind a Bitly URL without really clicking on the link. The technique is to merely include a “+” to the end of any Bitly URL. When you include the “+” the URL will reroute to Bitly rather of to whatever the initial URL was.

Not all Bitly users are utilizing them for good factors. Some individuals utilize them to conceal dubious links. There is a simple way to quickly determine whats behind a Bitly URL without actually clicking on the link. The technique is to just include a “+” to the end of any Bitly URL. When you add the “+” the URL will reroute to Bitly instead of to whatever the initial URL was. That will then show you the Bitly page on which the reduced URL is hosted and will reveal you what the initial link was..
You can attempt this trick with a URL that I recently reduced. Bit.ly/ THWTAPRIL will lead you directly to a copy of the slides that I utilized in my current Intro to Teaching History With Technology webinar. Bit.ly/ THWTAPRIL+ will lead you to the Bitly page where you can see my original presentation URL and see when I produced the shortened URL..
Watch this short video to see how you can utilize the “+” trick to discover whats concealed behind a Bitly link..

This post initially appeared on FreeTech4Teachers.com. It has been utilized without authorization if you see it somewhere else.

As I do every year, Im taking this week as a break from releasing brand-new article and will be republishing a few of the most popular posts of the year. Heres one from April.

Heres a video introduction of how to see whats behind a TinyURL without in fact clicking on the link.

Applications for Education.
Structure good digital citizenship and cyber safety skills is something that everyone should be helping our trainees do. Revealing them little tips like this one to prevent clicking suspicious links is one of the manner ins which we can assist our trainees construct their digital citizenship and cyber security abilities.

Bitly is a convenient URL shortener that Ive utilized for several years. As a registered user I can develop custom, reduced URLs that individuals can really spell. I use these whenever I require to share a link to a Canva or Google Slides discussion since the default URLs provided by those services are always long and incoherent..

If you desire to try this with a TinyURL, tinyurl.com/emkns9a8 will lead you to the page for the Practical Ed Tech Virtual Summer Camp, but including a “+” at the end of that TinyURL will take you to the page where you can see the initial link without clicking on it.