[multidim]

There's been a lot of talk about the benefits of browsers showing URLs in a stylized way that makes it more obvious to the user what is the domain and what is not the domain.

I should have realized this earlier but: it's also important to have anything that displays clickable URLs (like a messaging app) to also style the URL to help it be more obvious what domain is being linked to.

The problem of better stylized URLs is so much bigger than browser URL bars that show where you are right now; it's also everywhere that displays clickable URLs.

[lonelappde]

It's even worse.

Websites don't display clickable URLs, they display clickable links.

Browsers used to show the URL in the status bar, but then started hiding that too.

Anyway, links don't matter much, because if clicking a link is dangerous, your browser is broken. The destination location is what matters.

[zamadatix]

How you get to a page can't matter in terms of security or you've already lost the battle. What's important is once you're on the page you can validate where you are.

[yellow_lead]

Does hacker news even do this?

https://example.randomsite.phishyourbank.com/Jan3

[gpm]

Hacker news is probably one of the least important places to do this.

It has a high concentration of technical users, only supports public posts (where technical users will notice and comment on such urls), and has very active moderation.

Texting apps seem like the most important place to implement it... judging by the spam that I get.

[yellow_lead]

That kind of attitude will put people off guard though. These things pop up in places where you least expect them. I agree it's less important than other places, but also would be nice for us to practice what we preach.