Tell me more ×
Web Applications Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for power users of web applications. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 13 down vote favorite
1

Do bit.ly and other URL shorteners reutilize unused short URLs? It seems the be so. Is there any risk that an URL that is redirected to a certain page right now, be redirected to another page in the future?

share|improve this question
1  
Why would they reuse the short URLs? I'm sure that the developers of these services would have thought of that problem. What makes you think that they do reuse them? There are some services that all the creator of the shortened URL to update it, so in those circumstances you'd be directed to a different site. – ChrisF♦ Apr 27 '12 at 15:39
@ChrisF another reason is to keep URLs shorter you have to avoid to create new URLs – Jader Dias Apr 27 '12 at 16:15

2 Answers

up vote 17 down vote accepted

At least for bit.ly, the URL associated with the short link can't be changed. It's a security feature because, otherwise, someone with bad intentions could theoretically take over an account and replace all short URLs with malicious destinations.

From Bit.ly FAQ:

Can I edit/change my bitly link? What if I email you and ask nicely?

bitly links cannot be edited. They also do not expire and cannot be changed, so they will always redirect to the site for which they were originally created. It's always a good idea to check that your long URL and/or custom name are correct before creating, sharing, or printing your bitly links.

share|improve this answer
3  
This behavior is provider dependent. Tiny.cc's allows editing custom addresses associated with your user account. Randomly generated links appear to be permanent. tiny.cc/help – Dan Neely Apr 27 '12 at 20:15
Can't be changed - I read that as "not by the user". Given the drastic chages bit.ly is currently undergoing, I wouldn't bet my money on any sort of permanence. – Piskvor May 30 '12 at 17:52
up vote 3 down vote

It is provider specific, check the policies of whatever provider you are using. Goo.gl allows you to keep the URLs ye shorten and track usage. Bit.ly does not allow them to change. Tiny URL never expires.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.