Bitly: Difference between revisions

Line 8:

==Consumer-impact summary==

'''User Privacy:''' Users account credentails was compromised in a data breach. When you create an account, your name, phone number, company name, industry, job title, company size, email address, phone number and sign-in information are collected from you.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Bitly}}</ref>

'''User Privacy:''' Users account credentails was compromised in a data breach. When you create an account, your name, phone number, company name, industry, job title, company size, email address, phone number and sign-in information are collected from you.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Bitly |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260212014608/https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |archive-date=12 Feb 2026}}</ref>

'''Business Model:''' QR codes marketed as "free" on [https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ qr-code-generator.com] later stop working unless a subscription is purchased, resulting in wasted marketing materials and unexpected costs.

Line 16:

===Data Breach (2014-05-08)===

The company suffered from a data breach in May of 2014, resulting in 9.3 million of users' access credentials to be compromised.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-09 |title=Bitly link-shortening service 'compromised' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-06 |title=Bitly |url=https://haveibeenpwned.com/breach/Bitly |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=haveibeenpwned.com}}</ref> The CEO Mark Josephson then published a blog post explaining the issue and providing the appropriate safety measures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Josephson |first=Mark |date=2014-05-08 |title=Urgent Security Update Regarding Your Bitly Account |url=https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509101322/https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |archive-date=2014-05-09 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Bitly}}</ref>

The company suffered from a data breach in May of 2014, resulting in 9.3 million of users' access credentials to be compromised.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-09 |title=Bitly link-shortening service 'compromised' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230528135648/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |archive-date=28 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-06 |title=Bitly |url=https://haveibeenpwned.com/breach/Bitly |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=haveibeenpwned.com |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251217180150/https://haveibeenpwned.com/Breach/Bitly |archive-date=17 Dec 2025}}</ref> The CEO Mark Josephson then published a blog post explaining the issue and providing the appropriate safety measures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Josephson |first=Mark |date=2014-05-08 |title=Urgent Security Update Regarding Your Bitly Account |url=https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509101322/https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |archive-date=2014-05-09 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Bitly}}</ref>

===QR-Code-Generator.com “free” QR code lockout (2025-07-30)===

Bitly’s qr-code-generator.com advertises “free” QR codes but later disables them unless users pay, breaking printed materials and creating hidden costs for businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=How can I reactivate my QR Codes? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665090677005-How-can-I-reactivate-my-QR-Codes#:~:text=Your%20QR%20Codes%20may%20be,more%20of%20your%20QR%20Codes |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Jun 2025 |title=I received a message saying that my QR Codes will be deactivated. What does that mean? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean#:~:text=Any%20Dynamic%20QR%20Codes%20you,QR%20codes%20or%20vice%20versa. |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref>

Bitly’s qr-code-generator.com advertises “free” QR codes but later disables them unless users pay, breaking printed materials and creating hidden costs for businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=How can I reactivate my QR Codes? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665090677005-How-can-I-reactivate-my-QR-Codes#:~:text=Your%20QR%20Codes%20may%20be,more%20of%20your%20QR%20Codes |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Jun 2025 |title=I received a message saying that my QR Codes will be deactivated. What does that mean? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean#:~:text=Any%20Dynamic%20QR%20Codes%20you,QR%20codes%20or%20vice%20versa. |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251110045716/https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean |archive-date=10 Nov 2025}}</ref>

==Products==

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Consumer-impact summary==
-'''User Privacy:''' Users account credentails was compromised in a data breach. When you create an account, your name, phone number, company name, industry, job title, company size, email address, phone number and sign-in information are collected from you.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Bitly}}</ref>
+'''User Privacy:''' Users account credentails was compromised in a data breach. When you create an account, your name, phone number, company name, industry, job title, company size, email address, phone number and sign-in information are collected from you.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Bitly |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260212014608/https://bitly.com/pages/privacy |archive-date=12 Feb 2026}}</ref>
 '''Business Model:''' QR codes marketed as "free" on [https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ qr-code-generator.com] later stop working unless a subscription is purchased, resulting in wasted marketing materials and unexpected costs.
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ===Data Breach (2014-05-08)===
-The company suffered from a data breach in May of 2014, resulting in 9.3 million of users' access credentials to be compromised.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-09 |title=Bitly link-shortening service 'compromised' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-06 |title=Bitly |url=https://haveibeenpwned.com/breach/Bitly |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=haveibeenpwned.com}}</ref> The CEO Mark Josephson then published a blog post explaining the issue and providing the appropriate safety measures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Josephson |first=Mark |date=2014-05-08 |title=Urgent Security Update Regarding Your Bitly Account |url=https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509101322/https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |archive-date=2014-05-09 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Bitly}}</ref>
+The company suffered from a data breach in May of 2014, resulting in 9.3 million of users' access credentials to be compromised.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-09 |title=Bitly link-shortening service 'compromised' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230528135648/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27340494 |archive-date=28 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-06 |title=Bitly |url=https://haveibeenpwned.com/breach/Bitly |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=haveibeenpwned.com |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251217180150/https://haveibeenpwned.com/Breach/Bitly |archive-date=17 Dec 2025}}</ref> The CEO Mark Josephson then published a blog post explaining the issue and providing the appropriate safety measures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Josephson |first=Mark |date=2014-05-08 |title=Urgent Security Update Regarding Your Bitly Account |url=https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509101322/https://blog.bitly.com/post/85169217199/urgent-security-update-regarding-your-bitly-account |archive-date=2014-05-09 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Bitly}}</ref>
 ===QR-Code-Generator.com “free” QR code lockout (2025-07-30)===
 {{Main|QR-Code-Generator.com “free” QR code lockout}}
-Bitly’s qr-code-generator.com advertises “free” QR codes but later disables them unless users pay, breaking printed materials and creating hidden costs for businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=How can I reactivate my QR Codes? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665090677005-How-can-I-reactivate-my-QR-Codes#:~:text=Your%20QR%20Codes%20may%20be,more%20of%20your%20QR%20Codes |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Jun 2025 |title=I received a message saying that my QR Codes will be deactivated. What does that mean? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean#:~:text=Any%20Dynamic%20QR%20Codes%20you,QR%20codes%20or%20vice%20versa. |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref>
+Bitly’s qr-code-generator.com advertises “free” QR codes but later disables them unless users pay, breaking printed materials and creating hidden costs for businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=How can I reactivate my QR Codes? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665090677005-How-can-I-reactivate-my-QR-Codes#:~:text=Your%20QR%20Codes%20may%20be,more%20of%20your%20QR%20Codes |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Jun 2025 |title=I received a message saying that my QR Codes will be deactivated. What does that mean? |url=https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean#:~:text=Any%20Dynamic%20QR%20Codes%20you,QR%20codes%20or%20vice%20versa. |access-date=15 Aug 2025 |website=QR Code Generator Support |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251110045716/https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665013224205-I-received-a-message-saying-that-my-QR-Codes-will-be-deactivated-What-does-that-mean |archive-date=10 Nov 2025}}</ref>
 ==Products==