Bitly is an useful URL shortener that Ive used for several years. As a signed up 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 due to the fact that the default URLs supplied by those services are constantly long and incoherent..

Sadly, not all Bitly users are utilizing them for excellent factors. Some individuals utilize them to conceal dubious links. There is an easy method to rapidly identify 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 add the “+” the URL will reroute to Bitly instead of to whatever the original URL was. That will then show you the Bitly page on which the shortened URL is hosted and will reveal you what the original link was..
You can attempt this trick with a URL that I just recently reduced. Bit.ly/ THWTAPRIL will lead you directly to a copy of the slides that I utilized in my recent Intro to Teaching History With Technology webinar. Bit.ly/ THWTAPRIL+ will lead you to the Bitly page where you can see my initial discussion URL and see when I produced the shortened URL..
See this short video to see how you can use the “+” technique to learn whats concealed behind a Bitly link..

Bitly is an useful URL shortener that Ive utilized for many years. There is a simple method to quickly determine whats behind a Bitly URL without actually clicking on the link. When you add the “+” the URL will reroute to Bitly rather of to whatever the original URL was.

This post originally appeared on FreeTech4Teachers.com. It has been used without consent if you see it elsewhere. Websites that frequently steal my (Richard Byrnes) work include CloudComputin, TodayHeadline, and 711Web.

Applications for Education.
Structure excellent digital citizenship and cyber safety abilities is something that everybody need to be helping our students do. Revealing them little tips like this one to avoid clicking on suspicious links is one of the manner ins which we can help our trainees construct their digital citizenship and cyber safety abilities.