Some Facebook users are getting a troubling error message today when they try to post links to the social networking site. Links shortened with j.mp (a bit.ly run service) are causing the following to be displayed: "This message contains blocked content that has previously been flagged as abusive or spammy. Let us know if you think this is an error." A simple mistake on Facebook's end? Actually, no.
When TechCrunch reached out to Facebook for comment, the site's PR reps said the block was entirely intentional. "At the time we blocked j.mp, more than 70% of j.mp links pointed to spam or other security issues," a Facebook rep said. They went on to say they were working with Bit.ly to resolve the issue.
It is unclear if this was a temporary jump in spam traffic, or if j.mp links have just become spammy by nature. There are also some rumors that Facebook is planning to launch a URL shortener of its own, so tweaking the current market leaders could be all in good fun in the Zuckerberg camp.
Image via TechCrunch
Comments are closed on this article
shaboinkin
December 23, 2010 at 5:31pm
I find it kind of ironic that the first comment on this is spam...
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