Google And Facebook Launch URL Shorteners

Image by bpedro via Flickr

URL shorteners have become an important business in the age of microformats and 140-characters. In the beginning TinyURL which launched in 2002 provided all that was required to get control.

The popularity of TinyURLs influenced the creation of at least 100 similar websites. Initially Twitter automatically translated long URLs using TinyURL. As of 2009, bit.ly replaced TinyURL as its default shortener of links longer than 26 characters. Bit.ly is now the market leader but is that all about to change as Google and Facebook have entered the link shortening space! Facebook’s fb.me was uncovered by Inside Facebook and then Google followed up with the announcement of Goo.gl, which is now part of the Google Toolbar and Feedburner. Although bit.ly announced a 'pro' version of its service are Google and Facebook out to take out Bit.ly?

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