|
From: proclus@gnu-darwin.org
Subject: GNU-Darwin Action: Twitter, MySpace, redirection and short URLS
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 23:53:55 -0500 (EST)
To: gnu-darwin-distribution@lists.sourceforge.net
Cc: gnu-darwin-ports@lists.sourceforge.net
I am deeply concerned about the potential for abuse in the short url
scheme that is used in Twitter and MySpace. I have seen a case where
one of these types of urls was misdirected contrary to the aim of the
poster. Users may not realize that these types of urls can be
redirected on the fly to make a link appear as if it were from you,
when it was not.
Once the message is posted, the target of the
redirection is out of the user's control. Moreover, if these types of
urls are used to point to volatile content, such as sites that are
under DMCA take down threat, I do not doubt that the urls could be
arbitrarily redirected, before due process has taken its course.
It should be noted that a similar threat exists in the redirection
schemes that are used by Google and Facebook. At least, we would know
in those cases who was doing any fraudulent redirection. MySpace on
the other hand is crawling with the very types of vermin who lent great
support to DMCA passage, and they have huge economic incentives to
redirect clicks that you intended to go elsewhere.
In an ideal world, where all of the players had good notions of
fairness, this technology would be good and useful. Sadly we must
consider the possibility that such is not the case. Please be wary of
such schemes.
Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/
--
Visit proclus realm! http://proclus.tripod.com/
| 
