The trick is to add “+” 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 in other places, it has actually been used without permission.

Ive attempted the “+” technique with a lot of other URL reducing tools and TinyURL is the only one besides Bitly that Ive discovered it to deal with..
Whats the trick?

This post initially appeared on FreeTech4Teachers.com. If you see it somewhere else, it has been utilized without approval. Sites that regularly steal my (Richard Byrnes) work include CloudComputin, TodayHeadline, and 711Web.

Recently I composed
an article about how to see whats concealed behind a Bitly shortened URL without in fact clicking on the link. The technique is to include “+” to the end of the Bitly URL to see whats behind it without clicking it. If the that worked with other URL reducing services, a couple of people emailed me to ask. The response is it deals with
TinyURLs..

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

The trick is to include a “+” to the end of any TinyURL address in order to arrive at a safe TinyURL page that exposes what the original link was that got shortened. If you want to click through to the location or not, you can then choose.
If you want to try this with a TinyURL, tinyurl.com/emkns9a8 will lead you to the page for the Practical Ed Tech Virtual Summer Camp, however adding a “+” at the end of that TinyURL will take you to the page where you can see the original link without clicking on it.

Applications for EducationAs I wrote recently, constructing great digital citizenship and cyber safety abilities is something that all of us ought to be helping our students do. Showing them little ideas like this one to avoid clicking on suspicious links is among the manner ins which we can help our students build their digital citizenship and cyber security abilities.