Federal Government Rolls Out Authoritative “.Gov” Domain Message to Top of Websites
PALM BEACH, FL – Today, I noticed that visiting websites of the Federal Government, now include a statement helping users better identify if they are truly visiting a government operated site. The quick to see message on top of sites seems extremely helpful and will better educate visitors that “.Gov” is indeed official. It also mentions that the domain ending “.Mil” should be equally respected.
The message is used in an expandable drop-down which includes the following two safe-guard statements:
The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser’s address (or “location”) bar.
This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that’s been signed by the U.S. government. The https:// means all transmitted data is encrypted — in other words, any information or browsing history that you provide is transmitted securely.
The message appears on most sites for departments of the Federal Government, while it is not present on WhiteHouse.gov or Army.mil. It’s not always the case though – that these two domain endings should always be expected. For instance, The Marines use both Marines.mil and Marines.com, both of which show up in search.
About The Author: John Colascione is Chief Executive Officer of SEARCHEN NETWORKS®. He specializes in Website Monetization, is a Google AdWords Certified Professional, authored a how-to book called ”Mastering Your Website‘, and is a key player in several online businesses.
