Any URL shortening site that doesn't have an active block list is likely linking to <i>some</i> unsafe sites. Singling out bit.ly in this instance is frankly unfair.<p>Guess who else Google warns is linking to unsafe sites:<p><a href="https://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=google.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=google.c...</a>
<a href="http://unshort.me/" rel="nofollow">http://unshort.me/</a><p>Never fear.Also could you do some enlightening of others? Some people use URL shorteners by default when they are absolutely unnecessary. Not to mention privacy policy of these services is often uncomfortable at best.
longurl.org is awesome to check what is behind a shortened URL.<p>Has an API too: <a href="http://longurl.org/api" rel="nofollow">http://longurl.org/api</a>
Bitly has confirmed that this issue is resolved:
<a href="https://twitter.com/Bitly/status/526012694835757057" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/Bitly/status/526012694835757057</a>
Every bit of technology provides benefits and threats. URL shorteners are no exception: they definitely add value (and I don't mean just from the sender's perspective, but also on the recipient's end, eg. by allowing you to customize web addresses making it easier for people to remember them) but can also lead to harm (obfuscating links to malware).<p>It's like saying a hammer is a useless tool because it can bust your thumb.
if you're curious about following a bit.ly link, simply append a + to the end of the url and you'll be taken to that link's statistics page, which will also display the full link you're being forwarded to. a lot of other shorteners employ the same feature.<p>but obviously, just use an unshortener extension for peace of mind.
Google is definitely not a fan. I send a <i>lot</i> of email each month (it's my business) and having bit.ly links in mail is a fast track to Gmail's spam folder or, in some cases, being rejected entirely. (Note: I'm talking bulk mail, not personal mail.)
Eh, frankly it just seems like its google slipping up. If only a few hundred bitly links have viruses I'm impressed (I'm sure there are more but the percentage still doesn't seem that bad).
Microsoft could swoop in and solve this :D <a href="https://www.noip.com/blog/2014/06/30/ips-formal-statement-microsoft-takedown/" rel="nofollow">https://www.noip.com/blog/2014/06/30/ips-formal-statement-mi...</a>