Google has decided to encrypt connections between its search pages and users for those that login to their account.

In one sense this is good for people from foreign dictates like Iran where search information may be tracked on local routers with sniffers but the fact is with China excluded most of the world is not in need of encrypted connections when performing simple searches. As a matter of fact countries that do sniff results often block Google and google was basically forced to pull out of china because they would not release access to their servers.

That meant people in these countries were forced to use proxy servers to connect to google or other websites that their government blocked….

So, now Google has this plan that they will use HTTPS  connections for anyone that is logged into their service. You login to your google account for mail and all of your searches will be encrypted…. That is they will be encrypted between you and google but if you still have to use a proxy who knows what will be seen.

I am not sure what the reasoning behind this is… they may want to make foolish users believe that their searches are now private.. but obviously they will not be private.. Not only will google harvest all of your searches and compile a profile about you … and we mean EXACTLY YOU because you are logged in.. and you were probably stupid enough to register a cellphone number with your account…  But this information will be Marketed.. and this seems to be the real reason behind the move.

Your Webstats will SUCK

Once the users begin using the encrypted version of search you will no longer get referrer information in your stats. You will not be able to track keywords or see how visitors found your site.

This information is very important because it allows you to target your advertising campaigns based on Keywords. If you are a local Mulch and Topsoil dealer and you see 90% of your visitors are local and looking for Recycled Tire Mulch rather then Pine Bark Mulch you can buy your ads to show up when people are searching for that product.

Anyway this will mean a huge difference to online advertising in the near future and you can expect any business that you deal with that uses tracking beacons such as one pixel images or banners will soon have huge difficulty marketing their products.  When  only half the information is there businesses won’t be able to make good decisions.

Well we will see how this plays out and what tools are used to get around it.

But whatever it is… it is definitely not about protecting your searches.. or promoting the Arab Spring HAHAHA … you can bank on that.