Bitly QR Code preview page advertising: Difference between revisions

However, Bitly links have been used several times in the past by bad actors to shorten malicious URLs and spread malware.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bitly Transparency Report |url=https://bitly.com/pages/transparency-report#:~:text=Combating%20abuse,our%20service%20can%20be%20used. |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Bitly |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260214142814/https://bitly.com/pages/transparency-report |archive-date=14 Feb 2026}}</ref> Bitly links previously sent the user directly to the destination with no interstitial pages. While convenient for regular users of the platform, this convenience allows bad actors to set up potential threats such as phishing attacks easily.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 Mar 2024 |title=Rise in Deceptive PDF: The Gateway to Malicious Payloads |url=https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/rise-in-deceptive-pdf-the-gateway-to-malicious-payloads/#:~:text=The%20URL%20highlighted%20in%20the%20red%20box,they%20trick%20users%20into%20revealing%20sensitive%20information. |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=McAfee |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251108212322/https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/rise-in-deceptive-pdf-the-gateway-to-malicious-payloads/ |archive-date=8 Nov 2025}}</ref>

While the extra click required to view content may potentially frustrate some users,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harper |first=Alex |date=14 Feb 2025 |title=Goodbye Bitly… New Preview Page is a Major Step Back |url=https://webdesignerdepot.com/goodbye-bit-ly-new-preview-page-is-a-major-step-back/#:~:text=The%20Painful%20Reality,by%20the%20delay. |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Web Designer Depot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223033726/https://webdesignerdepot.com/goodbye-bit-ly-new-preview-page-is-a-major-step-back/ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> the main grievance of the new feature was the advertising that may appear on the preview page.<ref name=":0" /> Many frustrated users have claimed that Bitly has lost the convenience it was once known for, and has begun using tactics that force the user to pay a sum of money to bring it back.

While some users found Bitly's convenient, direct links more trustworthy, others claim the addition of preview pages has increased the trustworthiness of Bitly links. URL shortening is commonly used by bad actors to hide malicious links that may otherwise be detected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Papez |first=Neko |date=4 Jan 2024 |title=URL shortening allows threats to evade URL filtering and categorization tools |url=https://www.menlosecurity.com/blog/url-shortening-allows-threats-to-evade-url-filtering-and-categorization-tools#:~:text=Threat%20actors%20have,by%20Menlo%20Labs. |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Menlo Security |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250908123217/https://www.menlosecurity.com/blog/url-shortening-allows-threats-to-evade-url-filtering-and-categorization-tools |archive-date=8 Sep 2025}}</ref> Bitly's ToS change now includes a warning interstitial that appears on potentially dangerous links, and a preview of the destination URL, which some have claimed makes Bitly links more trustworthy and safe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Golombick |first=Chantelle |last2=Glamoslija |first2=Katarina |last3=Davidson |first3=Kate |date=3 Jun 2025 |title=Is Bitly safe? What to know before clicking short links |url=https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/bit-ly-malware-spam/#:~:text=Many%20browsers%20use,or%20credential%20theft. |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=ExpressVPN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223033830/https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/bit-ly-malware-spam/ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>