Hypeddit isn't always used as link shortener

MusicBrainz classifies Hypeddit as a URL shortener, but some artists also use it to let users download their tracks for “free” in exchange for a repost or follow on some other platform. For example, this SoundCloud track (added to MusicBrainz here) links to Hypeddit and requires users to repost the track before allowing them to download it. Hypeddit’s website advertises this feature as a “download gate”. I think these types of “download for free” links should be allowed in MusicBrainz, but perhaps a separate notice should be shown for this domain.

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Is there any way to differentiate the two sorts of links through the URL? If not, unless this becomes quite common and prominent, blocking it as predominantly a “smart linker” still makes sense. Otherwise people will keep just adding it when they shouldn’t.

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I don’t think so, though in my (anecdotal) experience, I’ve only ever seen Hypeddit used to gate free downloads, not as a “smart link” service. If it’s possible to display a separate notice in the editing UI that tells the editor to verify the link points to a download and not a link tree, that would be an ideal solution.