In order to create a more secure Internet environment, Google announced on Wednesday that it will launch the HTTPS-First option, which allows users to prefer HTTPS when loading pages. After this option is enabled, when you try to load a website that does not support HTTPS, the browser will also display a full-page warning. The company also announced that it is re-examining the lock icon in the URL bar and plans to try to change its appearance.
HTTPS is a more secure version of HTTP (the S here stands for secure security), and many websites you visit every day may already support it. Since HTTPS encrypts your traffic, it is a useful privacy tool when you use public Wi-Fi, or to prevent your ISP from snooping on your browsing content.
Google has been encouraging the use of HTTPS, such as marking unsafe websites with an unsafe label in the URL bar, and using HTTPS:// in the address bar by default when you enter a URL. Currently, this HTTPS priority mode will only be an option, but the company said it will explore this mode as the default mode in the future.
The HTTPS-First option will be available from the Chrome 94 version. This version will be officially released on September 21 and will still support HTTP connections after it is enabled.
The lock icon in the URL address bar
Google said: As we approach the future of HTTPS-First, we are also reviewing the lock icon that browsers usually display when a website is loaded via HTTPS. In particular, our research shows that users often associate this icon with a website. In fact, only the connection is safe. In a recent study, we found that only 11% of participants were able to correctly identify the meaning of the lock icon.
Therefore, starting from the version of Chrome 93, Google plans to change the lock icon to a downward arrow, which can be enabled by Flag. For me, the feel of an arrow compared to a lock is that you may be more willing to click on it to learn more about your connection, so we can understand the reasoning behind this change. The company said that even if the lock turns into an arrow, Google will still display an unsafe label on unsafe websites.
