Facebook blocking all bit.ly links? UPDATE: Nope.

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Ian Betteridge

UPDATE: And it’s fixed. Looks like it was a short-term glitch in the Facebook matrix.

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It appears that Facebook has decided that all links using popular link-shortener bit.ly are potentially dangerous – and has blocked them.

Bit.ly blocked on FacebookI’ve tried this with a number of bit.ly URLs, and it appears to be for everything, not just “objectionable” content that bit.ly is linking to.

I’ve got no idea whether this is a mistake on Facebook’s part, an error in their code, or deliberate – I’ll be dropping them a line when I finish this post.

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  • Ian W

    My guess: if enough people report a domain for offensive (or whatever) content, it’s automatically blocked. But since domain shorteners are used to point to so many different domains, and so many people use them, you have to exclude them from the automated system. If you don’t…

  • Andrew

    still blocking them all right now. At least for me.

  • http://stonehengeliving.com Jason

    Still showing as “abusive”…

  • Phoenix

    I am still unable to post any bit.ly links as i get the Security Check – captcha even though I have enabled my mobile. Even after I type the words the captcha reats again and again.

    Facebook allows other links but url shoten service like tinyurl and bit.ly links are presently not possible for me.