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Making safer short URLs with Shuurl

WOT is happy to support the new URL shortening service Shuurl.

Have you ever clicked a shortened URL and been redirected to a site you would rather not have seen? This exact scenario happened to Shuurl developer Paul Maloney's friend one day at work. His boss wasn't pleased, and in response to his friend's distress (he got a warning!), Paul decided to do something about it.

In a field crowded with URL shorteners (about 100 at last count), Paul came up with a new variation of an already useful idea. Shuurl is a new concept in URL shortening. Not only does it do what you expect - convert a huge ugly string of characters into a clean little package - but Paul creatively incorporated the WOT widget to show the rating of the redirected link. Here's what happens - when you receive a URL that has been shrunken using Shuurl and click on it, the link will open to the Shuurl page. Three important things show on that page:

  1. A thumbnail with the image of the site
  2. The WOT rating icon beside the link
  3. Hover on the link, and see the tooltip which leads to the WOT scorecard

Shuurl

See an example here, http://shuurl.com/Y1226

Now, when you send or receive a short URL, you don't have to throw all caution to the wind when you open it. Shuurl, using WOT ratings, keeps you protected (and keeps the boss happy too!)

Vote for Shuurl here and share it with a friend.

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Comments

  1. User picture
    • cotojo on Mon 23 Feb 2009
    • 01:45:39 PM UTC

    Shuurl

    It has my vote as well as my rating on WOT. I am sure that this will be of great service to all who use it, especially with the WOT API creating a safety net.

    Colin
    http://freepcsecurity.co.uk

  2. User picture
    • g7w on Mon 23 Feb 2009
    • 07:49:15 PM UTC

    not only

    Not only does Shuurl incorporate WOT for a safety rating, it also displays a thumbnail image of the destination site as well as the original (long) URL.
    This little graphic instantly allows you to determine if you want to go there or not., and with the addition of the WOT Rating System?
    Man... talk about "killing two birds with one stone".

    Shuurl has my [excellent] rating as well.
    I can only hope Paul's site doesn't outgrow his abilities to maintain it.

    peace,
    G7W

    • User picture
      • phantazm on Thu 26 Feb 2009
      • 04:21:18 PM UTC

      Echo

      Shuurl sounds like a really good idea! Url shrinkers have been around for years, and while they can be quite practical, they are not immune to abuse: shrinking a link also disguises the original target. But is Shuurl really the only linkshrinker that incorporates safety (and preview)..?

      How about WOT making a list of safe shrinkers..?

  3. User picture
    • mattriley on Fri 27 Feb 2009
    • 12:34:26 AM UTC

    Um, sorry to rain on this

    Um, sorry to rain on this parade, but Snipr/Snipurl have had this for a few years already. Want this interstitial before people click on to the destination URL? Just add a "peek." to the snipurl. For example: http://peek.snipr.com/bailout_shailout

    So WOT may "support" one new wannabe site with a singular trick that it thinks is "new", but it's not.

    • User picture
      • Sami on Fri 27 Feb 2009
      • 08:06:27 AM UTC

      Um, sorry to rain on this

      Snipr/Snipurl have had this for a few years already

      They've had WOT ratings for years?

    • User picture
      • Tonor on Sat 07 Mar 2009
      • 11:27:45 PM UTC

      The idea of URL shortening

      The idea of URL shortening isn't new as demonstrated here, but Shuurl is using WOT ratings whereas your alternative doesn't appear to be. That's the point behind the blog post about Shuurl incorporating WOT ratings. If your suggestion is using WOT then I apologise.

  4. User picture
    • Frank J on Wed 04 Mar 2009
    • 10:59:24 PM UTC

    I am glad this all worked

    I am glad this all worked out and we all now can use this service as it's intended for.

    Kudos all around!

    Frank J
    www.techjaws.com

  5. User picture
    • papa33joe on Tue 10 Mar 2009
    • 06:05:56 PM UTC

    scam

    i signed up for a grant cd from granthelporder dont it is a scam they took an unautorized withdrawl from my checking account they never return calls or answer e mails so stay away from it

  6. User picture
    • Havends on Mon 16 Mar 2009
    • 12:49:44 PM UTC

    It's good

    It's really good to see someone taking such a good initiative by adding WOT's rating.

  7. User picture
    • Frank J on Tue 31 Mar 2009
    • 07:35:15 PM UTC

    Kudos!!!

    Great release with a lot of great additions!!!

    I blogged about it today from the release notes.

    http://www.techjaws.com/web-of-trust-launches-new-...
    ---------------------------
    Frank J
    www.techjaws.com

  8. User picture
    • finklmab on Wed 01 Apr 2009
    • 05:14:19 PM UTC

    Felicitaciones

    Los quiero felicitar por esta linda barra que nos otorgan con gran utilidad. muchas gracias

  9. User picture
    • Creastery on Fri 03 Apr 2009
    • 03:50:26 PM UTC

    Great....SHUURL

    So glad to see that more than 10,000 visits have been made to there!
    Cheers to everyone!
    ☆¢σρчяιgђτ ©2009 ©®eαšтeяч™☆