Sites that aren’t secure will be marked as ‘not secure’

Google is changing the visual cues for HTTPS in Chrome’s user interface, starting in September. Sites using HTTPS will no longer trigger the green “Secure” text that usually appears in the address bar on Chrome version 69.

Then in October, sites visited with Chrome 70 that don’t have HTTPS certificates will trigger a red “Not secure” label when entering text.

Here’s a quick HTTPS refresher course: it’s a more secure version of HTTP, acting as a secure communication protocol for users and websites, making it harder for eavesdroppers to snoop on your packets. Your data is kept secure from third parties, so most modern sites are employing this technology, using Transport Layer Security (TLS) the underlying tech behind HTTPS, to do this.

So, why the change? Google’s argument is, “users should expect that the web is safe by default.” However, well-presented information allows users to be informed and can be accomplished through minimalism instead of outright removal.

Google’s counterclaim is that HTTPS is becoming cheaper and easier to integrate, which is true. It’s time to get to it, if you haven’t already.