Google has announced a change of heart regarding its short-lived shortened URLs, goo.gl. The company had previously stated that links created after 2018 would shut down on August 25, 2025, but has now given existing URLs more time to live.
In 2018, Google disabled the ability to create new shortened links, allowing existing ones to remain active as a courtesy to those who relied on them. Last year, it announced that its bit.ly rival would also cease functioning by August 25, 2025. However, this appears to have been met with skepticism, and today’s announcement marks a reversal.
The decision comes after Google received input from users, who appreciated the continued functionality of these links in various contexts, such as documents, videos, and posts. The company has chosen which URLs will continue to function based on their recent activity levels in late 2024.
Those who currently see a warning message indicating that their link will no longer work soon can breathe a sigh of relief, as it appears they have been selected for reprieve. Only those links that redirect directly to their destination without the detour will be allowed to live on.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/some-googl-urls-will-live-to-fight-another-day-183508123.html