It’s easy to tell if a site is secure as the URL starts with https:// instead of http://.
Or you need to look for the green padlock:
Not all sites needs to be secure (especially if you’re just browsing without entering data into the site). But there are certain times where you need to make sure the site is definitely secure. The prime example is when you’re entering payment information into a site. If it isn’t showing as secure, we’d suggest that you leave the site without giving away any of your information – it won’t be safe.
The choice on whether to use http or https may change in the near future as Google changed their algorithm last year to prioritise websites that are secure over those that aren’t. They called for the use of https everywhere to ensure that all data transmitted was secure, which has been the standard for Google’s own sites for a number of years. With Google’s undeniable prominence in the search market meaning that, for a modern company to survive, you need to rank on page 1 of Google, the decision on whether to use https on your website may not actually be so much of a choice.
Why did flick chose https
Data security is important and being able to have confidence in that security is invaluable as even harmless metadata can end up compromising your privacy. Examples of this harmless metadata might include the location you were in the last time you checked your email or the date/time you called someone. It won’t identify you personally but it builds up a picture of what activities you carry out, when and where. Also, when Google say that one of the top 5 things they’d recommend for small businesses' websites is https, so who are we to disagree? They know their stuff after all!
This might seem like a bit of a random topic for an e-learning company to be talking about, but security is one of the many things that you need to consider when reviewing e-learning courses or systems. For a run-down of the other various bits and pieces you need to consider, download our free LMS planning guide.
