Mastodawn

FediTips has moved!Jul 12, 2023

In case you missed it, all links on Mastodon count as 23 characters towards your limit, no matter how many characters the link really is.

So, you don't need to use link shorteners on Mastodon as they won't actually affect the link's length.

Mastodon does this because it's better for everyone's privacy to avoid link shortener services, it means people can see what they're clicking on, and the link won't stop working if the shortener service shuts down.

More info at:

➡️ https://fedi.tips/you-dont-need-link-shorteners-on-mastodon/

You don’t need link shorteners on Mastodon | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse

An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse

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Toothy Jul 12, 2023

@feditips I still wonder how some people do hyperlinks.. for me it always shows the link no matter what

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SpaceLifeForm Jul 13, 2023

@Toothy @feditips

If you obfuscate the link by changing it to say hXXps, then it does not automagically become a clickable link, and it prevents preview.

The user will have to copypasta to a new tab, and fix the link. The side effect of that is the server the link points to does not learn where the user found the link in the first place.

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Toothy Jul 13, 2023

@SpaceLifeForm @feditips No, I mean hyperlink as in it has custom text but is still clickable

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SpaceLifeForm Jul 13, 2023

@[email protected] @[email protected] This is a html link It is safe to click on btw.

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Video) (4K Remaster)

The official video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. Never: The Autobiography 📚 OUT NOW! Follow this link to get your copy and listen to Rick’s ...

YouTube

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SpaceLifeForm Jul 13, 2023

@[email protected] @[email protected] Note that I used a link shortener because I remembered it, but also note that the preview happened.

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SpaceLifeForm

@Toothy @feditips

Alternatively, I could obfuscate the link, and make you copypasta it, and fix the link, and you get the same result, but two things then happens then.

youtube does not know where you found the link.

No preview occurs server side. Reduces load on the servers.

hXXps://t.co/elon

Then again, I could avoid the link shortener entirely, which is even better.

This is the Rickroll

This is where the link shortener will redirect you to.

hXXps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Obfuscate links. Do not use link shorteners. It is for your privacy.