By logging into the Twitter Web site via HTTPS, the data that goes between user’s computers and the service remains encrypted when in transit. “This will improve the security of your account and better protect your information if you’re using Twitter over an unsecured Internet connection, like a public WiFi network, where someone may be able to eavesdrop on your site activity,” the company said on its Web site.
To enable HTTPS as the default, login to your account on the Twitter Web site. Click your name in the upper right corner, then choose Settings from the pop-up menu. Now scroll to the bottom of the page and check Always use HTTPS, then click Save.
Enable HTTPS in your Twitter account settings
There are a few limitations to Twitter’s new HTTPS default setting. First, it applies only when visiting the Twitter Web site in a browser from your computer. To use HTTPS from mobile devices, like the iPhone and iPad, users must enter https://twitter.com in their Web browser.
Second, HTTPS support is a feature that third-party Twitter client apps must enable. The official Twitter iPhone and iPad apps already support HTTPS, but some other client apps may not have enabled support for the protocol yet.
“We are working on a solution that will share the ‘Always use HTTPS’ setting across twitter.com and mobile.twitter.com, so you don’t have to think about which device you’re using when you want to check Twitter,” the company said. “If you use a third-party application, you should check to see if that app offers HTTPS.”