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Contents4
  1. Background
  2. Incident
  3. Consumer response
  4. References

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Bitly has introduced "preview pages" for QR code and Bitly links, which may contain advertising, before users are directed to the destination link. Users must subscribe to a paid plan in order to remove the preview page.

Background

Bitly is a platform that manages links and shortens URLs.[1] Users have often praised Bitly for its convenience and significant amount of features that allow Bitly links (links shortened with Bitly) to be properly managed, shortened, and/or branded.[2]


However, Bitly links have been used several times in the past by bad actors to shorten malicious URLs and spread malware.[3] 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.[4]

Incident

An email explaining the change coming to Bitly's Terms of Service.
Bitly's Terms of Service change announcement email, explaining the upcoming "Preview Pages"

In early 2025, Bitly changed its terms of service (ToS) to implement "Destination Previews," or more commonly referred to as "preview pages," that appear before the user is directed to the destination of a QR code or Bitly link.[5] These pages, explained in an email sent to users, allow the user to preview the content of the page before visiting the website. However, if the user who shared the Bitly link is currently using a free plan, advertisements will appear on the preview page of their link, which can only be disabled with a subscription to a paid plan.[6]


Bitly has claimed that the advertising is necessary to "continue delivering free plans at no cost to our users."[6] This claim suggests that the advertisements are required for users to continue to have the option to use Bitly on a free plan.

Consumer response

While the extra click required to view content may potentially frustrate some users,[7] the main grievance of the new feature was the advertising that may appear on the preview page.[5] 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.[8] 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.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "7 Powerful Link Management Tools to Boost Your Marketing Efforts". Bitly. 22 Aug 2023. Archived from the original on 5 Aug 2025. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  2. ↑ "What is a Bitly Link?". Linkly. Archived from the original on 10 Dec 2025. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  3. ↑ "Bitly Transparency Report". Bitly. Archived from the original on 14 Feb 2026. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  4. ↑ "Rise in Deceptive PDF: The Gateway to Malicious Payloads". McAfee. 1 Mar 2024. Archived from the original on 8 Nov 2025. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Smith, Ernie (7 Feb 2025). "Broken Bits". Tedium. Archived from the original on 15 Dec 2025. Retrieved 15 Aug 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chang, Megan. "Why are there ads on my links?". Bitly Support. Archived from the original on 9 Jan 2026. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  7. ↑ Harper, Alex (14 Feb 2025). "Goodbye Bitly… New Preview Page is a Major Step Back". Web Designer Depot. Archived from the original on 23 Feb 2026. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  8. ↑ Papez, Neko (4 Jan 2024). "URL shortening allows threats to evade URL filtering and categorization tools". Menlo Security. Archived from the original on 8 Sep 2025. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
  9. ↑ Golombick, Chantelle; Glamoslija, Katarina; Davidson, Kate (3 Jun 2025). "Is Bitly safe? What to know before clicking short links". ExpressVPN. Archived from the original on 23 Feb 2026. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
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