While reviewing a LQ post, I found the answer contained a link, purportedly to a video providing a proof requested in the respective question. However the link was presented as a bit.ly "shortened" link.

This has the effect of disguising the real URL's format, and potentially contributes to link-rot, so as a general preference I'd like to see this avoided. Using my new-found hyperlink hyper-vision, I see there are currently 52 posts containing URL "bit.ly" on Main Math.SE (none on Meta), of which 29 are in Answers. (I'll make a CW post to summarize instances of other common link-shorteners.)

While there are legitimate reasons for shortening and branding links, I find it difficult to imagine those purposes applying here (Math.SE or even StackExchange communities generally). However my ignorance is not a wonderful justification for an editing campaign to remove and replace where possible.

A discussion or pointers to previous discussion on this point of policy would be appreciated.

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I had sometimes problems with links to WA (as described here and here and maybe some other posts.) I usually solve this by using tinyurl. (Although probably urlencoding should work too.) –  Martin Sleziak 17 hours ago
    
Nice insight. I'm going to take a look at SO and MetaSE for a wider perspective. –  hardmath 17 hours ago
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The proposal Ban URL shortening services has (status-declined), in the sense that SE will not automatically stop these from being posted. However, users should feel free to edit to un-obscure problematic short links, or flag comments containing them. –  Raff 17 hours ago
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This now-closed thread on MetaSE could be something of a model. As Martin's Comment amply illustrates, redirected links can serve a good purpose, and editing things on a case-by-case basis (rather than imposing a systematic ban) makes sense. It also makes sense to have guidelines formalized here as reference. –  hardmath 17 hours ago
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@Martin: The hyperlink button on the editing toolbar automatically fixes those links, as mentioned in some of the answers on the posts you linked to. –  Rahul 15 hours ago

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