Skip to main content

Google is ending its URL shortening service goo.gl

Google is ending support for the goo.gl URL shortening service, the Internet giant announced Friday. Google’s Michael Hermanto said that starting April 13, anyone who had not used goo.gl before March 31 would not be allowed to create new short links. Existing users will have access to the service for one year before it is completely shut down on March 30, 2019. While the service will be dismantled, existing URLs will still redirect to the appropriate location.

Google’s decision to end the popular service, which was launched in 2009, is part of the company’s efforts to shift gears toward Firebase Dynamic Links. FDLs are smart links meant to allow developers to redirect users to any location on a web page or within a mobile app. The company encouraged consumers who wanted to create new short links to either make use of its free FDL service or to use a link shortening service such as Bitly or Ow.ly.

Recommended Videos

For developers, however, the company strongly recommended that they make the switch over to FDL. Google told developers that unlike existing short links, FDLs would automatically detect the platform that is being used, and redirect users to a web page or mobile app depending on which service was best suited to their platform. Google also said that FDLs would be more likely to survive the app installation process than standard links, which would make it easier for new users to find the content they need.

Another possible benefit of the move towards FDLs is one of security. In 2016, it was reported that shortened URLs were more vulnerable to security flaws than standard links, though Google and Microsoft book took action to address those issues.

In addition to a focus on Firebase Dynamic Links, Google said that its decision to end goo.gl was due to the changing ways users navigate the web. The company said that when it launched the service in 2009, the majority of users used desktop web browsers to access the internet. That has changed a lot in the past nine years, with users using smartphones, apps, and digital assistants to access the web.

Eric Brackett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
How to change margins in Google Docs
Laptop Working from Home

When you create a document in Google Docs, you may need to adjust the space between the edge of the page and the content --- the margins. For instance, many professors have requirements for the margin sizes you must use for college papers.

You can easily change the left, right, top, and bottom margins in Google Docs and have a few different ways to do it.

Read more
What is Microsoft Teams? How to use the collaboration app
A close-up of someone using Microsoft Teams on a laptop for a videoconference.

Online team collaboration is the new norm as companies spread their workforce across the globe. Gone are the days of primarily relying on group emails, as teams can now work together in real time using an instant chat-style interface, no matter where they are.

Using Microsoft Teams affords video conferencing, real-time discussions, document sharing and editing, and more for companies and corporations. It's one of many collaboration tools designed to bring company workers together in an online space. It’s not designed for communicating with family and friends, but for colleagues and clients.

Read more
Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs
A person using a laptop that displays various Microsoft Office apps.

For the last few decades, Microsoft Word has been the de facto standard for word processors across the working world. That's finally starting to shift, and it looks like one of Google's productivity apps is the heir apparent. The company's Google Docs solution (or to be specific, the integrated word processor) is cross-platform and interoperable, automatically syncs, is easily shareable, and perhaps best of all, is free.

However, using Google Docs proves it still has a long way to go before it can match all of Word's features -- Microsoft has been developing its word processor for over 30 years, after all, and millions still use Microsoft Word. Will Google Docs' low barrier to entry and cross-platform functionality win out? Let's break down each word processor in terms of features and capabilities to help you determine which is best for your needs.
How does each word processing program compare?
To put it lightly, Microsoft Word has an incredible advantage over Google Docs in terms of raw technical capability. From relatively humble beginnings in the 1980s, Microsoft has added new tools and options in each successive version. Most of the essential editing tools are available in Google Docs, but users who are used to Word will find it limited.

Read more