why people dont trust shortened urls

[dansazz]

I just thought they looked better but everyone seems to think they are hiding something.

[coulsongirls]

I use bitly for my articles (I write a column) to shorten my URLs for Twitter. But if I see a bitly URL in an email, then I won't click b/c often that's how spammers get you to click on links you might avoid if you saw the whole thing. 

[dreamyxo]

They are hiding something.

[LovelyxOdd]

I disagree. Not everyone who uses URL shorteners are hiding something. Indeed, there are those people who abuse them and try to spam you or whatever, but there are plenty of people who use them for actually shortening long URLs, or making a link look more attractive or yes, even innocently concealing a referral link (because some people get an attitude signing up under someone else's name). I use URL shorteners all the time and I also have no fear in clicking them. If it is a place I don't like, I just close the window. No big deal.

[lvstephanie]

I think it also depends on where the link is coming from. If I got an e-mail supposedly from my bank and they had a shortened link, I'd be very suspicious that it's actually a phishing e-mail instead. On the other hand, if I was on someone's blog site and they wanted to link out to a different article that they had written, I'd be much more apt to believe that the link is legit and that the shortened URL is just to make it easier to read.

[LenoraMinogue]

Most of the time I appreciate shortened URLS, but of course, sometimes, like with banks or "special offers" in the e-mail it's best to be suspicious.