Web pages, websites, email messages and other Internet content contain links. These embedded links can take us to related topics or additional sites of interest. Tapping one of these links while in the Safari web browser will quickly take you to another website. Tapping a link in an email will open the Safari web browser and load the webpage or site associated with the link.

You can quickly and conveniently jump to new places on the web using these embedded links. However, not every link will take us somewhere we want to go. So here’s an iPad safety tip. If you are curious about a link you get in an email or find on a webpage, you can tap and hold on the link. This will reveal where the link will take you.

At the top of the box that appears will be the destination for that link. Check the URL or web address shown there. That URL will give you a good indication of where you’ll end up if you decide to click on the link. Tap the Open button to jump to the link.

Not every URL you see will make sense. For example, links in ads may first take you to an advertising service or broker, then on to the vendor site. These ad services often represent hundreds of advertisers and the actual vendor is coded as a string of letters and/or numbers inside the URL. So you probably won’t see the vendor name in the address. When following these ad links, just take care that you are starting from a reputable site or trusted source when you click on the ad.