HeartyBeast
link
fedilink
81Y

Why is that? They can be useful - especially if you are including links in something like a print publication

hypelightfly
link
fedilink
17
edit-2
1Y
  1. They are insecure with no way to know what the real URL is.
  2. If you don’t control it you can’t guarantee the link will always work (bad for print).
  3. Register a shorter domain or novelty domain for your print publication.

How are they useful?

Mannivu
link
fedilink
271Y

Privacy: trackers, trackers, trackers Security: you can’t know where you would be taken with a short link. A legit website? A malicious website? Who knows.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ygrauer/2016/04/20/five-reasons-you-should-stop-shortening-urls/

jabberati
link
fedilink
11Y

deleted by creator

Hot Saucerman
link
fedilink
English
191Y

It doesnt matter how short a link is on paper, I am probably not going to take the time to type the whole damn thing on a shitty phone keyboard.

QR codes aren’t great either, but I would prefer those in a print publication than a shortened URL. Just give me the full URL in a QR code thanks.

wagoner
link
fedilink
61Y

How about a QR code that takes you to a shortened link

Agree 100% but QR codes with long strings are a problem too.

I have the maximum allowed WiFi password (63 characters?) on my network and it’s all randomly generated. I have a giant QR code on a sheet of paper but even that is difficult to scan.

That sounds like a pain - surely there’s a shorter length that’s still strong enough that it can’t be cracked in a trillion years?

It’s really not much of a pain. All our Apple devices sync WiFi passwords and if we have a guest we can usually share it when they go to their WiFi settings.

The only time it’s been a pain is while connecting Oculus Quest devices because they give you zero ways of copying it from another device. No QR code recognition while you’ve got multiple cameras strapped to your face? Super annoying.

👍Maximum Derek👍
link
fedilink
English
6
edit-2
1Y

Because then other people control the link. Imagine writing a long print article about a community coming together to care for an elderly holocaust survivor that includes a link for more info. And then Musk (or whomever has the control over the link shortener you use) comes along and decides the link in your article should point at a holocaust denialism site instead. You can’t change the link that’s now printed on paper, but they can change what it points at.

wagoner
link
fedilink
41Y

Or the shortened web site shuts down and all that history is lost. Happened to, I believe, the Guardian newspapers shortening service.

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