[Unofficial] ShortBlox: URL shorters for social media

Resources Community Resources
#1

Introducing ShortBlox

ShortBlox is a collection of free URL shortners designed for use on social media to highlight your UGC (From DevForum posts to clothing, users to games).

Simply add the asset ID of the relevant content to the end of the link and it’ll link directly to the content including embed. No ads, no interruption from me, just straight to what your followers want.

This service uses CloudFlare to work. As a result, analytical data is produced. Privacy policy: Cloudflare's Privacy Policy | Privacy Policy: Not Required. No user data being handled.

Those URLs are…

Examples/How to:

DevForum How To

Say you wanted to link to the DevForum rules, normally that would be https://devforum.roblox.com/t/how-to-level-up-on-the-roblox-developer-forum/320109 and that’s a really long link.

Grab the numbers at the end (in our case that’s 320109). Add that number to the end of https://devforum.link and we get How to level up on the Roblox Developer Forum - Updates - Developer Forum | Roblox.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

DevForum Example: devforum.link/320109

Roblox Library How To

Say you wanted to link to an audio clip of David saying “vision”, normally that would be https://www.roblox.com/library/5372069652/VISION and that’s it can be longer but we can make it shorter.

Grab the numbers in the middle between library and the item name (in our case that’s 5372069652). Add that number to the end of https://rblx.media/ and we get VISION - Roblox.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

Roblox Library Example: rblx.media/5372069652

Roblox Group How To

Say you wanted to link to your favourite Roblox group, normally that would be https://www.roblox.com/groups/6059321/Reworked/about and that’s it can be longer but we can make it shorter.

Grab the numbers in the middle between groups and the group name (in our case that’s 6059321). Add that number to the end of http://rblx.social/ and we get Reworked - Roblox.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

Roblox Group Example: rblx.social/6059321

Roblox Catalog How To

Say you wanted to link to the Roblox Bloxy award, normally that would be www.roblox.com/catalog/2758794374/The-6th-Annual-Bloxy-Award and that’s it can be longer but we can make it shorter.

Grab the numbers in the middle between catalog and the asset name (in our case that’s 2758794374). Add that number to the end of http://rblx.social/ and we get http://rblx.social/2758794374.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

Roblox Catalog Example: rblx.clothing/2758794374

Roblox User Profile How To

Say you wanted to link to your favourite Roblox player, normally that would be www.roblox.com/users/8403307/profile and that’s not too bad but we can make it shorter.

For using their ID. Grab the numbers in the middle between users and profile (in our case that’s 8403307). Add that number to the end of http://rblx.name/ and we get railworks2 - Roblox.

For using their username, grab their username and add that to the end of http://user.rblx.name/ and we get railworks2 - Roblox.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

Roblox Username Example: rblx.name/8403307 / user.rblx.name/railworks2

Roblox Games How To

Say you wanted to link to your favourite Roblox game (Adopt Me), normally that would be www.roblox.com/games/920587237/Adopt-Me and that’s not too bad here but can become longer but we can make it shorter.

Grab the numbers in the middle between games and the game name (in our case that’s 920587237). Add that number to the end of http://rblx.games/ and we get Adopt Me! - Roblox.

Now we have a shorter link to share around on social media.

Roblox Game Example: rblx.games/920587237

Extra details/Socials

If you want to help out and spread the resource, feel free. I intend to make it without cost or interruption from me until it’s no longer possible.

Email contact: ShortBlox@railworks2.com
Security issue? Email security@railworks2.com immediately.

If you need any help or report any issues, please contact me directly here on the DevForums or on any of my official social media.

202 Likes
Free helpful softwares and tools for all developers!
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#2

Do you think people might take advantage of the URL hiding and it will become a problem, if people decide to link to similar links that are scams?

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#3

Thank you for your concerns. Abuse can occur at any stage and for any reason, if there are domains which do this it’s something than can be reported to the appropriate people.

If any such domains do pop up and I’m aware of them, I will personally report them.

There will always be people taking advantage of any project, but I believe appropriate due care and appropriate usage would handle such concerns. Any such domains can be reported to me directly, see contact details in the post.

22 Likes
#4

That’s really cool. I don’t use social media myself, but I can see this being handy for those that use Twitter especially.

Any chance you’re working on some sort of dashboard or extension for this, as it would definitely speed things up when people want to share their content?

Edit:
I made a UserScript to automate this process, which is being hosted on GitHub Gist.

Install UserScript: https://gist.githubusercontent.com/cxmeel/24860e710bb33d2d614d631a4978540b/raw/shortblox.user.js

Source Code: Copies a short URL for the current page to the clipboard, using ShortBlox by @railworks2 · GitHub

14 Likes
#5

Thanks for your comments. At this time, there is no plans for a dashboard. A browser extension may be cool and I may consider it in the future.

In the mean time, the service is designed to be as simple as possible; grab the relevant ID and throw it at the end of the relevant domain, then post it online. The rest is automatically handled for you.

15 Likes
#6

Suggestion: Also have name links work for names, not just ID’s using https://www.roblox.com/users/profile?username=NAME. For example:

https://rblx.name/Stickmasterluke :arrow_right: Stickmasterluke - Roblox

Stickmasterluke - Roblox :arrow_right: Stickmasterluke - Roblox

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#7

https://user.rblx.name/username is now a thing. The way it currently work makes it hard to separate it at the same level. Either have a subdomain or a subdirectory (before or after rblx.name).

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#8

Looks like Roblox have started implementing deep linking into the mobile app, using AppsFlyer and the ro.blox.com domain, so this is an awesome web counterpart! :grin:

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#9

That’s cool. Just to be clear, this is nothing to do with those efforts. Just community resources for the community, heh.

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#10

How am I meant to use this?
Like a Link or something?

And plus, anyone can IP Grab using this link shortner.

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#11

People cannot ip grab using this. The links only redirect to specific places on Roblox (whether it’s Devforum or the actual website) and not any arbitrary link.

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#12

It’s for things like social media where you might be limited by the amount of characters you can use, or where you might want to display a shorter link.

Take this tweet for example by @RDevCentral:

Roblox increased Premium Payouts! Looks like us developers are going to make some more Robux! https://devforum.roblox.com/t/increasing-premium-payouts/753309 #RobloxDev #Roblox #RobloxDevs

This could be shortened like so:

Roblox increased Premium Payouts! Looks like us developers are going to make some more Robux! https://devforum.link/753309 #RobloxDev #Roblox #RobloxDevs

Leaving you more room for text. It makes posting links in places like Discord servers, game/asset descriptions, posters, etc. easier and more readable too.

9 Likes
#13

To quote myself

So you can use any of those domains for linking to a specific kind of content. On social media or on platforms like Discord. I’ve provided a how to guide for each domain.

This is not true. The URL redirect has been designed that not even I know who uses it (outside of what CloudFlare gives me), only Cloudflare does.

The redirect is designed to minimise users trying XSS via my redirects through forcing the use of the relevant ID.
The requests are direct and can be easily proven via relevant tools.

image
Output of running wget (a common Linux command) through my URL shortner.

If there are any relevant security threats, please immediately contact security@railworks2.com. Depending on the nature of the issue, I am happy to offer payment for your time.

10 Likes
#14

It would be cool if you, instead of the ID, have the name.

4 Likes
#15

Could you be more specific?

If you’re referring to username, you can use railworks2 - Roblox

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#16

Like instead of a group ID, you could have group names or with devforum links with the name instead of ID.
I don’t know much about URL shorteners, though

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#17

Ah right. At this time, that isn’t really feasible. Sorry.

6 Likes
#18

Are you collecting analytics? if so please provide a GDPR compliant Privacy Policy or block European IP addresses

Cloudflare gives you the location of a request, you can easily make analytics of what location accesses what groups

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#19

As mentioned in that comment, I only have access to the data Cloudflare offers all their clients. This does include analytics, however the entire service (excluding domain ownership) from DNS to redirecting users is handled under Cloudflare and thus their policy, which can be found @ Cloudflare's Privacy Policy

I contacted my local data protection authority (the ICO) before going live and made sure it was acceptable under GDPR, I cannot speak for CCPA or other data protections laws. If I hosted the server which directed the user, the appropriate legal documents would be provided

I want to be very clear, on this

This is not accurate. I only see at the domain level, I do not know which UGC is being used expect the general type found by using a specific domain (not sub-domain).

If you used a specific group, I do not know about that, I only know a request from a region of the world accessed my service and only for up to 30 days.

If you used an username instead of an ID, I would have no idea that it was the case. Again only that a request was issued for my domain.

EDIT: To be deadly clear. I believe in being open and direct when dealing with something like this, trust is important and that’s why I’m taking this deadly seriously.

Summary

  • I have now included that a sub-processor has been used.

  • I am not a data controller or data processor under the GDPR [See this document from the ICO] therefore I am not required by law to offer such a privacy policy.

  • Even if I was a data controller or data processor, GDPR does not apply. See: What is personal data? | ICO

  • All data lasts with CloudFlare for up to 30 days.

  • The data I have access to is limited and only provided under Cloudflare and their privacy policy. If you needed to issue a GDPR request, you would need to do it to them. This is by design.

  • If at any time was any of this was to change, I would offer a public announcement on such a change and offer a reasonable amount of time. If required, I would also also issue direct to user notices of such a change.

  • I am here to help make a community resource, not mishandle personal data. As a British citizen and a privacy focused person, ensuring that your data is dealt with appropriately is key to me. I would had preferred you to had privately spoken to me regarding any legal issues. However for the benefit of the wider community, I am choosing to respond publicly.

10 Likes
#20

Cloudflare rays (and IP addresses) are sufficiently anonymous such that a privacy policy is not required. Your IP address isn’t personal data, hence why the entire internet (such as your website, https://goldy.dev/) don’t require a privacy policy - only when you tie personal data to that IP address does it become an issue.

This is the sort of thing you should query in private messages, as to avoid this confusion that has beset this thread.

5 Likes