Google Chrome To Replace Address Bar Padlock Icon As No One Knows Actual Meaning

[Firewaller]

For users of Google Chrome, many will be familiar with the tiny padlock icon at the left of the browser’s address bar. This symbol has been used for decades to represent that a site is loading over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, better known as HTTPS.

However, it seems the technology giant is planning to redesign the symbol, as not many users truly know what it means. This isn’t the first change to the motif, as in 2016, the company made adjustments to the icon after research suggested it was often misunderstood.

Turns out, the change didn’t make much difference, as only 11% of users surveyed in 2021 could point to the icon’s real meaning. Most assumed it represented a secure or safe website, but it only meant the page had loaded over HTTPS.

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