ELI5: what is the difference between http and https

HTTPS is like sending a secret message in a locked box, while HTTP is like sending a postcard that anyone can read.

Imagine you're sending a letter to your grandma.

• If you use HTTP, you're writing the letter on a postcard. Anyone who handles the postcard – the mailman, people at the post office – can read what you wrote. This means if you're sending your credit card number or your address, someone could see it! It's like shouting your secrets in the street.

• If you use HTTPS, you're putting your letter in a special locked box before you give it to the mailman. Only you and your grandma have the key to open the box. Even if someone else tries to look inside, they can’t read the letter because it's protected. This means that even if someone intercepts your information, like your password or credit card number, they can't understand it because it's scrambled in the locked box.

• Shopping on websites
• Logging into your email
• Checking your bank account