Bitly access block hits short links

Istanbul 7th Criminal Judgeship of Peace, Bitly, Cuttly And T2M Access blocking decisions dated 5 May 2026 were taken for According to EngelWeb records, the court bitly.com It implemented the decision numbered 2026/4089. With this cutt.ly 11 separate decisions for t2m.io Three separate decisions were recorded for the

In Türkiye, decisions to block access to websites for different reasons are frequently made. This time, the decision is based on information that internet users frequently see in social media, SMS messages and campaign links. link shortening services It covers. Bitly makes long links short and shareable. Cuttly and T2M similarly offer link management, click tracking and short URL generation.

According to the information provided by EngelWeb, behind the decisions illegal betting justification is included. Recently, the government has increased operations and digital monitoring steps against illegal betting networks. Link shortening services are frequently used in such redirects because they do not reveal the target address at first glance. Therefore, the decision concerns not only three domain names, but also many posts based on short link traffic.

Services like Bitly offer security scans and warning pages. Despite this, academic studies have shown that short links have long been at risk for abuse. Because the user cannot always clearly see which site he will go to before clicking the link. Especially fake raffles, phishing and betting redirects can abuse this advantage.

Brands using short links should check their links

The access block may also affect the opening of previously shared short links from Türkiye. That’s why brands, publishers and social media teams should check email newsletters, ad campaigns, SMS announcements and customer support messages. Using direct URL offers a safer way in the short term. If a new comprehensive statement comes from official authorities, the impact of the decisions will be more clearly understood.