Google turns on SSL encryption by default for searches

Google is switching all of its users over to the SSL encryption protocol in an attempt to better secure their search queries and results from prying eyes.

Product manager Evelyn Kao explained in a blog post that over the next four weeks, users may notice themselves being redirected to the HTTPS version of google.com when they sign in to their Google account.

"This change encrypts your search queries and Google's results page. This is especially important when you're using an unsecured internet connection, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot in an internet café," she added.

"You can also navigate to https://www.google.com directly if you're signed out or if you don't have a Google Account."

However, while Google has made moves to protect its users' privacy as described above, the web giant made clear that it would still be passing on user information to its advertisers.

"If you choose to click on an ad appearing on our search results page, your browser will continue to send the relevant query over the network to enable advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and to improve the ads and offers they present to you," said Kao.

Google said it has been making gradual moves to expand its use of SSL, making it the default setting in Gmail in January 2010 and launching the https://encrypted.google.com service a few months later.