Shortened URLs such as http://bit.ly/7PVM3 are popular these days as a means for replacing long URLs with shorter ones and conserving space. They are particularly convenient for Twitter users who must limit posts to 140 characters, including any URLs you wish to share with others. But are they safe to click on?
If you know the person who wrote the post, it’s probably OK. But shortened URLs can also be used by less scrupulous types to lure readers to malicious sites. If you want to avoid potential trouble, I would suggest previewing links to see where they really lead.
Twitter users can do this by downloading and installing TweetDeck, a free personal browser for enhancing Twitter account management. TweetDeck includes a preview mode where you can view information about links directly and see where you’re going before you go there.
Others might want to try another free tool called Unhid.
Go to the site, enter a short URL, and click UNHIDE. The real URL then appears below (sorry for the mini text size).
Unhid also offers a bookmarklet that you can install simply by dragging it to your bookmarks tab. Click the bookmarklet to activate it. Then give it a test drive by clicking on any shortened URL. A new web page will open showing where the link leads.
I just stumbled across what appears to be a very useful service for ‘power’ social media users who want to secure a username across multiple sites.
The service, called KnowEm, “allows you to check for the use of your brand, product, personal name or username instantly across over 340 popular and emerging social media websites.”
The general idea is to make it easier for friends, colleagues, etc., to find you on the various social-networking sites. But online businesses can also use the site to find out if a brand is available, or worse, has been hijacked.
The basic service is free, but a premium plan is available that will automate the process of manual registration at any of the social media sites.
To give it a trial run, point your browser at KnowEm, enter your username (or the one you would like), and KnowEm will check availability on hundreds of sites, such as these:
