What is a URL and how can you find out where a "link" comes from? URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is nothing more than the address of a given unique resource on the Web. In theory, each valid URL points to a unique resource (address from where it originated). A "tiny URL" is a shortened URL that does not show all of a links "return address" info. Some malicious sites use shortened URLs to mask where a link has originated from, or reports back too. Here is a tool (URLEX) that unshortens a short URL expanding any info that is not shown with a tiny URL: https://urlex.org/