Why Google's new URL shortening service is important...

When using Twitter (and other social media), every character space is precious, so they all use URL-shortening services, like tinyURL. For those confused, this simply takes a long website address and shortens it to something much smaller.

The problem with those services is simple: There is no security check of where that shortened URL takes you... it could be a phishing ploy to a fake bank site to get your sensitive data, or asking for personal information or worse, taking you to an automatic download and, boom! You've got the equivalent of Swine flu for your PC...

Enter Google.

Yesterday, Google launched its own URL shortening service, simply named "the Google URL Shortener." Because of its resulting URL, you see a URL that is something like this: http://goo.gl/az123. You can quickly see that it is the Google service, given its name.

Why is this important?

Google will do something differently than the others... it will actually go that site, check that it actually exists, and then scan it for legitimacy, and security issues such as malware and phishing.

Note: At the time of this writing, you cannot simply go to the site and convert your address to a Google-shortened URL. You must use it in conjuction with other Google services, such as an integrated feature using the Google toolbar. As they say on their site, "Google URL Shortener is currently available for Google products and not for broader consumer use."

Google continues to innovate, almost to a fault, with as many failed ideas as successful ones. But, looking at Edison's best-known inventions, I believe each one came after many other failures. It's nice to know that Google is willing to take risk to find ideas that work.

Conclusion: This new Google service will likely takeover as the new trusted standard (and most popular) URL shortener service, given its security benefits.