Lightburn

Google announced today that it’s getting into the URL shortening business with its own goo.gl.  Why? Google says they are doing it to protect the user. They will make sure the links aren’t pointing to malware or viruses. To me the real reason is obvious. Google will now be able to collect traffic information from beyond google.com or AdWords, helping them better determine which sites are relevant.

To start, the service will only be available within the Google toolbar and Feedburner, but is expected to be available to the public down the road.