Google will be replacing the lock icon because of a security-related issue in websites’ address bars with a new “tune” icon. The new icon will not claim that the site is secure or can be trusted.
The lock icon first indicated that a website was using HTTPS encryption to encrypt connections. This shows that the connection between the user’s browser and the website is fully encrypted and cannot be used to tamper with the connection. Today, most websites use the HTTPS protocol, including phishing websites, and their lock icon does not indicate the website’s trustworthiness, Google officially said in a blog post.
That is why Google plans to replace it with a new “tune” icon, which is more secure than its appearance, to ensure users understand that the websites they visit are not trustworthy.
The icon ensures access permission controls and additional security information before running, as Google claims. It’s preventing the misunderstanding that the lock icon is related to the trustworthiness of a page.
The icon is set for release as part of a general design and refresh for desktop platforms, expected in early September. This feature works on Android as well.