Google enables secure search for signed-in users

Search giant Google is making search more secure by rolling out a new feature that enables secure search using secure HTTP (https). Product manager Evelyn Kao said Google the feature, which aims to protect personalized search results, will roll out to those signed in to Google accounts. "(W)e’re enhancing our default search experience for signed-in users. Over the next few weeks, many of you will find yourselves redirected to https://www.google.com when you’re signed in to your Google Account. This change encrypts your search queries and Google’s results page," she said in a blog post. She said this is especially important when a user is using an unsecured Internet connection, such as a WiFi hotspot in an Internet cafe. Those who are not signed in to their Google accounts or do not have Google accounts can also navigate to https://www.google.com directly. Kao said Google had worked hard over the past few years to increase its services’ use of the encryption protocol SSL (secure sockets layer). She said Google has also been encouraging the industry to adopt stronger security standards. "For example, we made SSL the default setting in Gmail in January 2010 and introduced an encrypted search service located at https://encrypted.google.com four months later. Other prominent web companies have also added SSL support in recent months," she said. Impact on analytics Google said the search results with SSL will not be reflected in its Analytics tool. "When a signed in user visits your site from an organic Google search, all web analytics services, including Google Analytics, will continue to recognize the visit as Google 'organic' search, but will no longer report the query terms that the user searched on to reach your site. "Keep in mind that the change will affect only a minority of your traffic. You will continue to see aggregate query data with no change, including visits from users who aren’t signed in and visits from Google 'cpc,'" Amy Chang of the Google Analytics team said in a blog post. Clicking on an ad appearing on the search results page will make the browser continue to send the relevant query over the network to enable advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and to improve the ads and offers they present, she said. "We are still measuring all SEO traffic. You will still be able to see your conversion rates, segmentations, and more," she added. Kao added visited websites will still know that a visitor came from Google, but will not receive information about each individual query. The websites can also receive an aggregated list of the top 1,000 search queries that drove traffic to their site for each of the past 30 days through Google Webmaster Tools, she added. — RSJ, GMA News