The trick is to include “+” to the end of the Bitly URL to see whats behind it without clicking on it. A couple of people emailed me to ask if the that worked with other URL shortening services. If you see it elsewhere, it has actually been used without authorization.

Ive tried the “+” trick with a bunch of other URL reducing tools and TinyURL is the just one besides Bitly that Ive discovered it to work with..
Whats the technique?

Heres a video overview of how to see whats behind a TinyURL without really clicking the link.

The technique is to include a “+” to the end of any TinyURL address in order to land on a safe TinyURL page that exposes what the initial link was that got reduced. You can then decide if you wish to click through to the destination or not.
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 adding a “+” at the end of that TinyURL will take you to the page where you can see the initial link without clicking on it.

Recently I wrote
The trick is to include “+” to the end of the Bitly URL to see whats behind it without clicking on it. A couple of people emailed me to ask if the that worked with other URL reducing services.
TinyURLs..

This post initially appeared on FreeTech4Teachers.com. It has actually been used without authorization if you see it in other places. Sites that routinely steal my (Richard Byrnes) work consist of CloudComputin, TodayHeadline, and 711Web.

Applications for EducationAs I composed last week, developing great digital citizenship and cyber security abilities is something that everybody ought to be assisting our students do. Revealing them little suggestions like this one to avoid clicking suspicious links is among the methods that we can help our students develop their digital citizenship and cyber security abilities.