Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to providing and restricting access to content. In aspects, information (e.g., a URL) that identifies content and a user is provided to a user. In conjunction with providing the information to a user, a data structure (e.g., an access control list) is updated to indicate that the user has access to the content. The user may use the information to access the content and/or may send this information to other users. The other users may use the information (e.g., by pasting it into a browser) to access the content and may be added to the data structure so that they may subsequently access the content without the use of the information. Access to the content via using the information may be subsequently revoked.