Twitter to launch own link shortener service

Bit.ly, Tiny URL and other similar services enable users to compress web addresses in a way that hides the true destination.

IT security experts have repeatedly warned of the potential threat of malicious links conceiled by link shorteners ever since they have become popular on the 140-word limit microblogging website.

Chief executive officer Evan Williams told the Chirp developer conference in San Francisco that it would be “stupid” not to add native link-shortening capabilities into Twitter, since most Twitter clients already have that feature.

“We want to solve that problem,” he said.

"We are probably not going to give people a choice. If they want to use a different shortener, they can use a different app," the Twitter CEO said.

Williams did not give any details about what security measures would be implemented.