Microsoft files patent application for “safe” URL shortening, says no more Rick-Rolling
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012
Safer link clicking.
Microsoft has filed a patent application for safer URL shortening, and the patent application actually uses the term “rick-rolling”.
The application was filed in 2010 but just published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today.
A big problem with shortened URLs is that you typically don’t know where they’ll take you when you click on them. As a result, you might end up on a malware site, something NSFW, or, gasp!, get rick-rolled.
Microsoft’s patent disclosure suggests creating a block list of known bad sites and informing users if they’re visiting one through a shortened URL. Web browsers already do this if they know something about the site they’re visiting. This would apply the same concept to short URLs.
This problem with short URLs is one reason Twitter started wrapping links in t.co and providing previews of where the shortened URLs lead.
You can view the patent application here (pdf).
Further Reading:
Had to happen, could be good-by domain revenues, What will ICANN enforce ???