URLs are too unsafe
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 4:57 am
One thing is certain: Google doesn't do anything without thinking. So what problem do URLs have that the world's largest search engine wants to replace its core with something better—and what exactly would that be?
What's the problem with URLs? They're actually quite logically structured. They contain:
the transfer protocol (HTTP or HTTPS – is the site secure or not?)
the domain name (identity of the source)
the path (subpage of the source and its content)
Theoretically, that's true. But only in a perfect world, one in which switzerland cell phone number list every webmaster is familiar with SEO and has the interest and resources to display each individual URL clearly. Unfortunately, the web isn't a perfect world.
URLs are often incomprehensible strings of numbers and characters that reveal little about the content of the respective page. They contain additional information for tracking purposes that only someone who is familiar with the topic can recognize. URL shorteners completely mask the original URL, making it impossible to identify the underlying URL without special effort. For the user, it's like blind booking. On small smartphone displays, URLs can usually not even be displayed in full. In an increasingly mobile-based world, it's even harder to determine whether the source—i.e., the domain being accessed—is trustworthy or even what it claims to be. For several years now, URL weaknesses have been increasingly exploited for criminal purposes. For example, company websites are being imitated to steal sensitive user data.
What's the problem with URLs? They're actually quite logically structured. They contain:
the transfer protocol (HTTP or HTTPS – is the site secure or not?)
the domain name (identity of the source)
the path (subpage of the source and its content)
Theoretically, that's true. But only in a perfect world, one in which switzerland cell phone number list every webmaster is familiar with SEO and has the interest and resources to display each individual URL clearly. Unfortunately, the web isn't a perfect world.
URLs are often incomprehensible strings of numbers and characters that reveal little about the content of the respective page. They contain additional information for tracking purposes that only someone who is familiar with the topic can recognize. URL shorteners completely mask the original URL, making it impossible to identify the underlying URL without special effort. For the user, it's like blind booking. On small smartphone displays, URLs can usually not even be displayed in full. In an increasingly mobile-based world, it's even harder to determine whether the source—i.e., the domain being accessed—is trustworthy or even what it claims to be. For several years now, URL weaknesses have been increasingly exploited for criminal purposes. For example, company websites are being imitated to steal sensitive user data.