This icon keeps your data safe

Connecting to a website means your information travels from your device to the website. This could include sensitive data like the log in information for your financial institution, email, or social media accounts. Most popular websites are trustworthy, as they use encryption to scramble the data and protect it from hackers lurking on the web; however, telling a legitimate website from a fake or scam site can be difficult. Not all websites are encrypted, so it’s important to use caution when using public WiFi networks and always look for this icon before going any further. 
 
A lock symbol or https in the address bar to the left of the website address suggests that the site is secured with a digital certificate. This means that any information sent between your browser and the website is sent securely, and cannot be intercepted and read by someone else while the information is in transit. To further protect yourself, it is also wise to look at the site name in the address bar and verify that it matches the name of the site you are expecting exactly, or better yet, simply wait until you’re using your home WiFi network to do anything particularly sensitive online.