Why has HU changed the method of attaching links

[shaws]

Previously when we attached links, when someone clicked on it they went straight to the page.

For a while now, you are taken to an intermediate link to confirm you whether you want to continue.

What's the point? I'm sure some members must think its a mistake. I thought so.

naturalthyroidsolutions.com...

[Hidden]

I don't remember it being any other way, but of course haven't been here that long - couple of years I think. Time flies!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

A member - the other day when I put a link - stated she couldn't access and that's when I told her she also had to click on the intermediary.

[london81]

i think it’s probably to ensure people aren’t clicking on spam or links they don’t want to access? whilst a little irritating i feel the prevalance of spam and hacking makes it necessary

[humanbean]

Before there was the intermediate link people couldn't really see where they were going when they clicked on a link in a post because only part of the web address was displayed.

With the intermediate page you can see the entire address of the page you are going to and can decide to not go there if you want.

I've always thought that it was a strange solution to the problem. They could have just displayed where people were going if they hovered over the link with the cursor or something like that, rather than having an entire page dedicated to displaying a web address.

Personally, I hate clicking on shortened links that don't let me know what my destination is before I click, so although I think HU has adopted an odd solution, I'm not unhappy about it.

[helvella Administrator in reply to humanbean]

People do tend to miss hover-over displays. I am much happier at the intermediate page

Though I can't help thinking that it is over-the-top for links within HU's site.

Also, perhaps it should also say "... and if you DO want to visit that site, click here."?

[humanbean in reply to helvella]

Yes, I miss hover-over displays myself.

And I agree about it being completely unnecessary if the destination is a page within the HU site itself.

The most obvious solution for this issue is for HU to display complete links within posts. But no doubt they consider that to be aesthetically messy.

[shaws Administrator in reply to helvella]

I don't think that's right either because we wont have an idea of what is going to appear.

It's only when we press and read the attachment if we think it was "worth the effort or not"

[helvella Administrator]

shaws

But it does help to highlight the difference between these two links:

nhs.uk.conditions.age-relat...

nhs.uk/conditions/age-relat...

That first link is actually (with spaces added so it displays as text, not a link):

nhs. uk. conditions. age-related-macular-degeneration-amd. using. a. long. name. to. hide. a. spammer.com/

Anyone could easily be fooled into thinking the first link is to a real NHS site. When displayed in full, it is a bit more obvious.

[shaws Administrator in reply to helvella]

So, I see (I think) that to avoid us being led onto a link which is spam.

[helvella Administrator in reply to shaws]

Spam or any of the other bad things out there.