Chrome To Gain Search Encryption, Following Similar Moves By Firefox & Mobile Safari

The wave of browsers using Google SSL Search — and thus blocking publishers from receiving search term data — continues. Google’s own Chrome browser is next up, with the latest Chrome 25 beta using encryption. Google shared the news on its Chromium blog today. Chrome follows in the footsteps of Firefox and mobile Safari, which […]

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The wave of browsers using Google SSL Search — and thus blocking publishers from receiving search term data — continues. Google’s own Chrome browser is next up, with the latest Chrome 25 beta using encryption.

Google shared the news on its Chromium blog today. Chrome follows in the footsteps of Firefox and mobile Safari, which added encryption last year. Our stories below have more background on that:

The Safari change was particularly problematic for publishers, because not only were search terms blocked, but Google — not expecting Safari to use SSL search — didn’t adjust things. People using Google through mobile Safari appear, and still do today, as if they came to web sites directly.

Google began the move to SSL search in October 2011, and since that time, the amount of “not provided” terms (as Google Analytics reports) has increased, with one study last year finding that up to 39% of Google search traffic now has terms stripped.

The move by Chrome toward encrypted search will likely increase that percentage higher. Will it ever reach 100%, and what to do in relation to the rise? See our sister-site Search Engine Land, where we have an article that looks in more depth at that:  Will [Not Provided] Ever Reach 100% In Web Analytics?


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Danny Sullivan
Contributor
Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land, MarTech, and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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