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

Last week I composed
a post about how to see whats hidden behind a Bitly reduced URL without in fact clicking the link. The technique is to include “+” to the end of the Bitly URL to see whats behind it without clicking it. A few individuals emailed me to ask if the that worked with other URL reducing services. The answer is it deals with
TinyURLs..

Applications for EducationAs I wrote last week, constructing excellent digital citizenship and cyber safety abilities is something that everyone need to be assisting our trainees do. Showing them little ideas like this one to avoid clicking on suspicious links is among the methods that we can help our trainees build their digital citizenship and cyber security abilities.

The technique 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 in other places, it has actually been used without permission.

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

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

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