[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4cast #398: Google and HTTPS

Wed Aug 13 10:33:42 EDT 2014

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OPLIN 4Cast

OPLIN 4cast #398: Google and HTTPS
August 13th, 2014

padlockGoogle made an interesting announcement 
<http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2014/08/https-as-ranking-signal_6.html> 
last week. Because they want to promote the use of secure, encoded HTTPS 
for website connections, they are going to make HTTPS a "ranking signal" 
for their search results. In other words, if a website uses HTTPS, it 
will show up higher in a Google search than a site that does not - maybe 
only a little bit higher for now since this will initially be just a 
minor ranking signal, but Google confesses that they may make it a more 
important signal later. Almost all the reaction was positive, except for 
tweets 
<http://searchengineland.com/seo-industry-tweets-reactions-googles-ssl-ranking-boost-199510> 
from people who work in the search engine optimization business, but as 
librarians, shouldn't we be a bit concerned that the quality of 
information might be judged based on its format instead of its content, 
just so Google can make a point about web security?

  * Google Search starts penalizing websites that don't use encryption
    <http://www.pcworld.com/article/2462680/google-lowers-search-ranking-of-websites-that-dont-use-encryption.html>
    (PC World | Jeremy Kirk) "The move is designed to spur developers to
    implement TLS (Transport Layer Security), which uses a digital
    certificate to encrypt traffic, signified by a padlock in most
    browsers and 'https' at the beginning of a URL. As Google scans Web
    pages, it takes into account certain attributes, such as whether a
    Web page has unique content, to determine where it will appear in
    search rankings. It has added the use of https into those signals,
    although it will be a 'lightweight' one and applies to about 1
    percent of search queries now..."
  * In major shift, Google boosts search rankings of HTTPS-protected
    sites
    <http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/08/in-major-shift-google-boosts-search-rankings-of-https-protected-sites/>
    (Ars Technica | Dan Goodin) "TLS also provides a means for
    cryptographically validating that a server claiming to belong to
    Google, Bank of America, or any other website is authentic, rather
    than an impostor set up to trick users. Over the past few years,
    American Civil Liberties Union Principal Technologist Chris Soghoian
    has used a carrot-and-stick approach to persuade more sites to
    HTTPS-protect their pages. He sometimes publicly chastises companies
    that transmit sensitive information over unencrypted connections."
  * Google boosts secure sites in search results
    <https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/08/google-boosts-secure-sites-search-results>
    (Electronic Frontier Foundation | Bill Budington) "This week's
    announcement further underlines a commitment to encrypting Internet
    traffic and keeping user data safe, and encouraging others to do so.
    We urge Google to go further and carry out its plan to strengthen
    the preference of HTTPS sites, as well as favoring sites that have
    configured HTTPS well..."
  * Google to reward sites with HTTPS security in search rankings
    <http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2014/08/07/google-to-reward-sites-with-http-security-in-search-rankings/>
    (Forbes | Larry Magid) "This is one more example of the power of
    Google's ranking system. While Google doesn't control content on the
    web, its search is by far the most effective way for content to be
    found so anything a webmaster can do to increase a Google ranking
    equates to more visitors and, in many cases, more revenue."

*/Articles from Ohio Web Library <http://ohioweblibrary.org>:/*

  * How to use an HTTPS- encrypted connection
    <http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.oplin.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=28caba93-97a2-4e36-8e17-a2cf44fc2cd1%40sessionmgr4003&vid=0&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=65451920>.
    (/PC World /, Oct. 2011, p94 | Nick Mediati)
  * Stop being evil: A proposal for unbiased Google search
    <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.oplin.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=d302dc39-f2a9-464d-b8c6-6b870fff9f4c%40sessionmgr110&vid=0&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=88916117>.
    (/Michigan Law Review/, March 2013, p789-820 | Joshua G. Hazan)
  * What to do about Google?
    <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.oplin.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=a1748e15-e7c3-48e8-9f00-1ee8dfd9a2b1%40sessionmgr110&vid=0&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=90072981>
    (/Communications of the ACM/, Sept. 2013, p28-30 | James Grimmelmann)

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