This post initially appeared on FreeTech4Teachers.com. If you see it in other places, it has been used without authorization. Sites that routinely take my (Richard Byrnes) work include CloudComputin, TodayHeadline, and 711Web.

Bitly is a helpful URL shortener that Ive utilized for numerous years. There is an easy way to quickly determine whats behind a Bitly URL without actually clicking on the link. When you include the “+” the URL will redirect to Bitly rather of to whatever the initial URL was.

Not all Bitly users are using them for great reasons. Some individuals use them to conceal wicked links. There is a simple way to rapidly identify whats behind a Bitly URL without actually clicking on the link. The trick is to simply include a “+” to the end of any Bitly URL. When you add the “+” the URL will redirect to Bitly rather of to whatever the original URL was. That will then show you the Bitly page on which the reduced URL is hosted and will show you what the original link was..
You can attempt this technique with a URL that I just recently reduced. Bit.ly/ THWTAPRIL will lead you directly to a copy of the slides that I used 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 initial presentation URL and see when I developed the shortened URL..
Enjoy this short video to see how you can utilize the “+” technique to discover whats concealed behind a Bitly link..

Bitly is an useful URL shortener that Ive used for several years. As a registered user I can produce custom, reduced URLs that people can really spell. I utilize these whenever I need to share a link to a Canva or Google Slides discussion because the default URLs offered by those services are incoherent and constantly long..

Applications for Education.
Structure great digital citizenship and cyber safety abilities is something that all of us should be assisting our trainees do. Showing them little pointers like this one to prevent clicking on suspicious links is one of the manner ins which we can help our students develop their digital citizenship and cyber security abilities.