Websites and HTTPS

When a page loads, your browser uses a rule set called HTTP. It sends a polite request: please give me this page. The server sends back the HTML, images, and other files that build what you see.

HTTP has been used for decades. It works well for public pages like news articles or school timetables that anyone may read.

The problem is that plain HTTP does not hide what you send. Packets can be read by devices on the same Wi-Fi or along the route, a bit like a postcard anyone can peek at.

HTTPS is HTTP with security added. Your browser and the server agree on a secret code so packets are scrambled on the way. Only the server at the end can unscramble them properly.

That is why banking sites, login pages, and school portals show a padlock. The lock means the connection is encrypted, not that every word on the page is true.

Watch the compare animation in this lesson. HTTP sends readable text. HTTPS sends scrambled text that is useless without the key.

Always check for HTTPS before typing a password or personal details. If a site asks for secrets but shows no lock, stop and tell a trusted adult.

HTTPS does not stop phishing. A fake site can still use a lock if a trickster sets one up. You must also check the name in the address bar.

You now know the path from search to secure pages. The online safety pillar builds on this with passwords, scams, and kind behaviour.