Recently, Google increased the security warnings on the Chrome browser.  Chrome now generates a warning for any website without a secure connection if there is a user input box such as a search box. 

A secure connection is one where any information sent to and from the web page is encrypted, so protected from interception.  Visitors to a secure site will see the secure icon (often a green padlock) which gives them confidence and makes the site look more professional.  Another way to tell is that the address of a secure website starts with 'https:'.

Some website owners are frustrated by the change.  They accept that passwords and credit card details need to be protected, but their site only has a search form and the contents of that aren't sensitive.  The catch is that Chrome can't be sure what information is sensitive, so it is playing safe and generating a...

One of the most useful ways to keep in touch with your audience, customers or regular readers is to send a regular newsletter.  The challenge is to make sure that email services recognise your newsletters as legitimate communications, rather than dumping your carefully crafted message in the spam folder.

The escalation in email spam means that it is a problem for everyone.  Email services have to continually improve their spam filters, and the problem is serious enough that a small business or organisation can accidentally fall foul of a spam filter, and in the worst case, be placed on a blacklist.

A few simple common-sense procedures can help you steer clear, and here is AlbanyWeb's anti-spam checklist:

• Make sure your signup procedure is transparent, so that recipients know they are signing up for your newsletter.  This will help avoid recipients 'junking' your emails or reporting them as spam.
• Always put...