TWITTER ENABLES HTTPS

As of today, Twitter users can check the “Always Use HTTPS” setting at the bottom of Settings on their profiles. HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure uses the SSL/TSL protocol in addition to HTTP to ensure encrypted communication over a secure channel. This protects users on insecure networks like conference or coffee bar WiFi.

While Twitter users could use HTTPS prior by visiting https://www.twitter.com, they now have the option to have it always on. In addition HTTPS will be used when you log into Twitter and on Twitter for iPhone and iPad.

Users on mobile browsers have to visit https://mobile.twitter.com to access the feature for now, but Twitter is trying to make the setting work across all devices, hoping to eventually make HTTPS the default setting.

US GOVERNMENT SEIZES DOMAINS; DUBIOUS WARRANT CLAIMS

US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may have crossed a line -- in the midst of nabbing counterfeiters this weekend, the government organization seized the domains of a torrent meta-tracker and a trio of music sites. Today, the picture above is the only thing you'll see if you go to Torrent-Finder.com, RapGodFathers.com, Dajaz1.com or OnSmash.com, as the ICANN domain registration for the four are now in the ICE's possession, presumably on suspicion of piracy. If you ask the original domain owners however, they'll vehemently refute such allegations -- the torrent site reportedly didn't even distribute torrents themselves, merely cross-referenced other sites that do, and a RapGodFathers representative told TorrentFreak that it had complied with all DMCA takedown notifications. Apparently the websites and servers themselves are still intact, and it's only the URLs at stake, as two of the four websites are already up and running at domains ending in .info. We have to admit, this particular brand of domain squatting could be an intriguing business model. Expect "seized domains" to be tacked onto the laundry list of "Valuable Items You Too Can Buy at Government Auction!" any day now. [Engadget]

US TO GET RID OF COLOR CODED ALERT SYSTEM

The US Department of Homeland Security will be getting rid of the confusing color coded system that no one was able to understand. Since 2002, the department has used the 5 color system (blue, green, yellow, orange, red) to alert citizens to potential terrorist and security threats. The problem is no one really understood the color scheme or paid attention to it. Also, since its inception Homeland Security has never lowered it past the yellow (Elevated) level, essentially making the blue and green useless.

No word yet on what the replacement will actually be, but the AP is reporting the new system will be more descriptive. [Gizmodo]