If you’re reading this, chances are you just clicked a link or scanned a QR Code and want to know if it’s safe to keep going. Every link and QR Code created with Bitly is checked for known threats automatically, both when it’s created and every time it’s clicked or scanned, before you ever reach the destination. If something’s flagged, it’s blocked before you can reach it.
No automated system catches everything, though, which is why Bitly also gives you a way to check a link yourself or report one that looks wrong. Here’s exactly how the detection system works and how you can check the link yourself.
What gets checked and what happens next
Links and QR Codes created with Bitly run through Bitly’s Threat Detection Service the moment they’re created. If a destination is flagged, it’s added to Bitly’s Abuse API, the shared record Bitly checks every time someone clicks or scans a Bitly Link. Trusted partners can flag threats directly, too, so harmful links get shut down before they spread further.
Why didn’t I see a preview of my destination?
A preview isn’t available for every link. Some sites block automatic previews, some pages require a login, and some destinations simply can’t be captured as an image or headline. None of that means a link is unsafe. It means Bitly couldn’t grab a snapshot—the safety check still ran.
Backed by real scale
Bitly powers more than 100 billion clicks and scans and more than 2 billion links and QR Codes created annually, with 99.99% uptime, and Bitly is SOC 2 Type II compliant. Bitly is trusted by two-thirds of the Fortune 500, and our Trust and Safety Team works with NGOs and safety organizations focused on phishing, exploitation, and abuse prevention, so detection keeps getting sharper.
Bitly’s commitment to safeguarding users as they shorten, click, and interact with URLs and QR Codes daily stems from our core belief in prioritizing their safety. We also recognize that the wide reach of our platform presents a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the internet. To that end, we work hard to give our customers and their audiences the secure and transparent online experiences they deserve.
If you still have questions:
- Check a link yourself: Bitly’s link checker tool
- Report a link that looks harmful: Report a link
- If you think a link was blocked by mistake: Appeal a decision
Protecting your own links and QR Codes
If you create links or QR Codes for your own business, this same detection system runs on them automatically, on every plan, so your audience gets the same protection you just experienced. Bitly also makes it easy to create branded links and QR Codes, track every click and scan, and see what’s actually working, so you can scale what’s driving results.
Create your first 5 short links for free
Automatic threat detection. Branded links and QR Codes. Real-time click and scan tracking. Trusted by two-thirds of the Fortune 500. Free to start.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bitly’s Threat Detection Service?
Bitly’s Threat Detection Service, or TDS, is the Trust and Safety Team’s first line of defense. The moment a link or QR Code is created on Bitly, TDS scans it to check whether the destination could threaten Bitly’s community. If it discovers abuse, it sends a message to Bitly’s Abuse API to address the issue in near real-time.
What is Bitly’s Abuse API?
The Abuse API is the tool Bitly uses to manage the trustworthiness status of a URL. It’s Bitly’s definitive record of harmful URLs: when TDS identifies abuse, that URL is added to the database. Every time someone clicks or scans a Bitly Link or QR Code, Bitly checks the destination against the Abuse API in real time. Bitly also gives trusted partners direct access to contribute harmful URLs to the database, helping stop the spread of those links faster.
What partnerships does Bitly have?
Bitly works with trusted technology partners and non-governmental organizations that specialize in disrupting terrorist activity online, detecting and preventing the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and combating phishing campaigns at scale. These partnerships help Bitly stay current on trust and safety best practices and help shape the policies behind Bitly’s own detection systems.
