know url

Image of know url logo

I would expect you to think twice (and thrice) before clicking on a shortened URL. Shortened URLs can...

  • lead you anywhere - from...
    • a NSFW site (Not Suitable For Work) to an
    • outright repository of viruses...

...the risks are endless.

This is why know url is intrinsically attractive.

KnowURL offers a tool that will let users take a shortened URL and have the full destination address displayed.

In that way, users will quickly be able to determine if the link actually directs to where it claimed it would take you, or if it is the kind of malicious link that is best left alone.

The main URL shorteners like...

  • bit.ly;
  • tr.im;and/or
  • tinyurl

...are already supported along with those that are not that widespread, so that chances are that this site will rescue users from any

"to click or not to click" predicament.

Try it out at http://www.knowurl.com/.

Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License

Produced and edited by John Dalziel with input from Anita Holt & Colin Gallacher (eLearning Advisers with JISC RSC-Northwest - Lancaster University)