Compressed URLs (like TinyURL or bit.ly links) are often used to hide the true destination of a link and can be used to mask malicious intent.

Quick Scoop: What’s true about compressed URLs?

  • They can hide where a link really goes, giving you no visual clue about the final website from the URL itself.
  • Because they obscure the destination, they are sometimes used by attackers to lure people to phishing sites, malware downloads, or other harmful pages.
  • They do not inherently “pose no risk”; the lack of transparency is exactly what creates additional risk.
  • You usually cannot reliably tell the final destination just by hovering over a compressed link, because what you see is still the shortened domain (e.g., tinyurl.com/abcd), not the full original address.

In many multiple‑choice questions asking “Which of the following is true of compressed URLs?”,
the correct choice is that they may be used to mask malicious intent.

TL;DR: The key true statement is that compressed URLs can be used to conceal where a link leads and may be used for malicious purposes, so they should be treated with caution.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.