What does the latest congressional measure mean for Internet security on your website?

Recently the United States repealed some Internet security rules which allows internet service providers to store and sell data related to individual browsing habits.

What this means for you as a consumer is that advertisers will be able to target you more precisely with products and services they feel you're interested in. Many people find issue with this while others have no problem with it.

However you have to ask the question as a website owner whether or not you want your customers browsing habits tracked through your website. There is a way to prevent this and it's something that Google has actually been advocating for quite some time now. When visiting a website that uses an SSL certificate your data is encrypted and the only devices that can understand the actual data being transmitted is the customers device and the server. What this means is the internet service provider cannot intercept the data that is being transmitted.

Google has been advocating using SSL certificates to secure up your site for several months. And after this latest bill has passed it would be advisable to ensure that your website is secured with an SSL certificate and the HTTPS​ protocol on every page of your website.

If your site already has an SSL to secure shopping and login pages, you will likely want to consider Extended Validation certificates to give your customers peace of mind that they are dealing with a validated, reputable company who handles their personal data responsibly.