Origins Mysterious

“The Internet is at peak saturation, and news sites and popular blogs are toiling to leverage every possible piece of web real estate to capture readers’ attention. The URL, or web address, also sometimes referred to by techies as the ‘slug’ or the ‘permalink,’ is the latest spot for exploitation. Quite literally, the clickable link is the new clickbait…. As with many Internet micro trends, it is tough to pinpoint the genesis of the jokey URL. But the practice has certainly taken on steam in recent months, since BuzzFeed began to ramp up its integration of what Jack Shepherd, the site’s editorial director, calls the ‘social URL.’ Mr. Shepherd’s hope is that the humor in these URLs will compel readers to share the link with friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter.”