Bitly
Contents7
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 |
| Legal Structure | Private |
| Industry | Software, Information Technology, Technology |
| Also known as | |
| Official website | https://bitly.com/ |
Bitly is a link management platform, offering url shortening and QR code generator services. Bitly, Inc. is a private technology company founded in 2008.
Consumer impact summary
User privacy: Users account credentials 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.[1]
Business model: QR codes marketed as "free" on qr-code-generator.com later stop working unless a subscription is purchased, resulting in wasted marketing materials and unexpected costs.
Incidents
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Bitly category.
Data breach (2014)
The company suffered from a data breach in May 2014, resulting in 9.3 million of users' access credentials to be compromised.[2][3] Then-CEO Mark Josephson published a blog post explaining the issue and providing the appropriate safety measures.[4]
QR-Code-Generator.com "free" QR code lockout (2025)
- Main article: 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.[5][6]
Products
- Bitly Link Management Platform
- QR-Code-Generator.com
References
- ↑ "Privacy Policy". Bitly. Archived from the original on 12 Feb 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ↑ "Bitly link-shortening service 'compromised'". BBC. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 16 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "Bitly". haveibeenpwned.com. 6 Oct 2017. Archived from the original on 17 Dec 2025. Retrieved 16 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Josephson, Mark (8 May 2014). "Urgent Security Update Regarding Your Bitly Account". Bitly. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 16 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "How can I reactivate my QR Codes?". QR Code Generator Support. 20 Jun 2024. Archived from the original on 10 Nov 2025. Retrieved 15 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "I received a message saying that my QR Codes will be deactivated. What does that mean?". QR Code Generator Support. 11 Jun 2025. Archived from the original on 10 Nov 2025. Retrieved 15 Aug 2025.