Cryptocurrency enthusiasts are alleging Bitly URL Shortener of restricting cryptocurrency website links on their platform.
One of the affected, Andreas M. Antonopoulos, a bitcoin enthusiast and security expert, complained vehemently on the alleged decision made by Bitly for the fact that the links are not pointing to any toxic site.
Andreas, who is also the author of Mastering Bitcoin, The Internet of Money, and Mastering Ethereum, said he is about publishing a book with 200 Bitly links but may decide to go for another link shortener that is not centralised and biased.
The first to notice this obscene decision of Bitly was one Wagner Santana, who said the links in the book did not point to any harmful site.
He said, pointing to Andreas: “@aantonop why is https://Bitly complaining on your book shortened links? They don’t point to any harmful location at all!.”
@aantonop why is https://t.co/AoYLleiBXx complaining on your book shortened links? They don't point to any harmful location at all! pic.twitter.com/ylgUkRTcYi
— Wagner Santana (@wagnersantana74) November 3, 2018
Andreas inquired from Bitly afterward, maintaining that he’s going to remove all links by Bitly.
“Hey @Bitly Why are you blocking https://Bitly links to crypto-currency sites? I’m about to publish my 4th book and it has about 200 https://Bitly links in it. If you are going to block links, I will need to remove all 200 and replace them with a competitor”
Hey @Bitly,
Why are you blocking https://t.co/9gk4wWPQnN links to crypto-currency sites?
I'm about to publish my 4th book and it has about 200 https://t.co/9gk4wWPQnN links in it. If you are going to block links, I will need to remove all 200 and replace them with a competitor https://t.co/Xg4FkemcA7
— Andreas ☮ 🌈 ⚛ ⚖ 🌐 📡 📖 📹 🔑 🛩 (@aantonop) November 3, 2018
Justin Burkhardt, a public relations account manager for Bitly, forwarded a message from a representative of Bitly to Today’s Gazette:
“Recently, we became aware that one of author Andreas M. Antonopoulos’ links had been inadvertently blocked. On occasion, as in this case, our security systems generate false positives. Bitly does not categorically block cryptocurrency sites. Once we were alerted to the issue we unblocked the domain.”
Cryptocurrency Clamp Down: Bitly May Be Jettisoned
The alleged decision by Bitly is surprising and may make crypto enthusiasts create a blockchain based URL shortener any moment. This has been called for by different cryptocurrency lovers after the action by Bitly was broadcast on Twitter by critics.
Facebook, Google And Others Clamp Down On ICO And Crypto Ads
Before now, world giant social media platforms placed a general ban on ICO and crypto related ads, stating that it will not allow any of such to be displayed on their platform. The move was made on the ground that crypto and ICOs are deceptive and kind of fraudulent as many had and are still falling victims.
The clamp down was said to have been in consonance with a proclamation made by the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) on crypto-related investments and ICOs in Dec. 2017.
Of all the tech giants, Facebook took the lead, Google toed along, announcing that by June 2018, it will be banning cryptocurrency-related ads of all types, and this extended beyond Google search to Google owned platforms like YouTube, and display of ads on third party websites.
After series of rumors, social media giant Twitter, on March 26 proclaimed that it will follow the footsteps of the other two giants.
This really resulted to a massive blow for Cryptocurrency and its market, and people started having second thought on the virtual currency.
Shortly after the announcement from Facebook in Jan. 30, Bitcoin plunged from $10,166 to $6,914. Although the BTC later rose up to $11,228 by Feb. 20, but the pronouncement Google ban also saw the price of BTC down to $8,000.
