# R9 | anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5 | run 2

## Prompt

Explain the practical difference between HTTP and HTTPS for a website owner, and cite a source.

## Response

HTTPS is HTTP with encryption enabled through TLS (Transport Layer Security), making it the secure standard for modern websites. For website owners, the key practical differences affect security, functionality, user trust, and search engine rankings.

## Security and Data Protection

HTTP sends all data as plain, unencrypted text—meaning usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and any form submissions can be intercepted on public Wi-Fi or by network attackers [expressvpn.com](https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/https-vs-http/). HTTPS encrypts this data in transit, making it unreadable to anyone between the user's browser and your server [cloudflare.com](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-use-https/).

Additionally, HTTPS includes data integrity protection—if an attacker tries to modify data during transmission, your browser detects the tampering and rejects it [expressvpn.com](https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/https-vs-http/).

## Browser Warnings and User Trust

Since July 2018, major browsers like Chrome and Firefox flag all HTTP sites as "Not Secure" in the address bar [cloudflare.com](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-use-https/). HTTPS sites display a padlock icon instead, signaling a legitimate connection. This visual difference directly affects whether users trust your site.

## Feature Availability

Modern browsers restrict functionality on HTTP sites. Geolocation services, push notifications, and progressive web applications (PWAs) all require HTTPS [cloudflare.com](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-use-https/). If your site needs these features, HTTPS is mandatory.

## SEO Impact

Google penalizes HTTP sites in search rankings and favors HTTPS sites, making migration essential for visibility [expressvpn.com](https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/https-vs-http/).

## Implementation

Obtaining an HTTPS certificate requires getting a TLS certificate from a trusted certificate authority, then updating all internal links from http:// to https:// across your site [expressvpn.com](https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/https-vs-http/).

Are you currently running an HTTP site and looking to migrate, or do you need guidance on selecting a certificate provider?
