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"BlogSpot" Blogs Cannot Be Shared, Using "www"

We're seeing a number of reports from blog owners, claiming their blogs are now subject to security alerts - and blocked when sharing.

Frequently, the reports involve blogs published to "blogspot.com" (not custom domains) - and using the "www" alias.

Some services, such as FaceBook, are now requiring "https" for shared URLs - and the "www" alias of "blogspot.com" ("www.whatever.blogspot.com") can't be used, with the "https" protocol.

When Blogger started providing HTTPS for our blogs, we observed that "https://www.whatever.blogspot.com" was a problem.

HTTPS is not an automatic feature for blogs and websites, outside Google space. A blog or website requires an SSL certificate, to provide HTTPS connectivity - and the certificates are generally not free.

An SSL certificate is URL specific.

Google now provides SSL certificates, free of charge, to any Blogger blog owner, when "HTTPS Availability" is enabled - but the certificates only support "whatever.blogspot.com".

Unfortunately, Google SSL certificates don't support "www.whatever.blogspot.com". Google generosity has limits - and Blogger probably decided that "www.whatever.blogspot.com" was not used enough, by blog owners, to justify the certificate cost.

This is what my readers would see, for "https://www.nitecruzr-test-ssl.blogspot.com".


Sharing, using the "www" alias, will cause an error display.

If I share "nitecruzr-test-ssl.blogspot.com", it has to be shared as "nitecruzr-test-ssl.blogspot.com". The "www" alias, "https://www.nitecruzr-test-ssl.blogspot.com", will generate a privacy alert, when the shared link is clicked.
Your connection is not private
 

Attackers might be trying to steal your information from www.nitecruzr-test-ssl.blogspot.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more

If the blog is published to a custom domain, the blog should be shared as "https://www.whatever.com". With a custom domain involved, "https://whatever.blogspot.com" can still be used - but "https://www.whatever.blogspot.com" should not be used.



Now that HTTPS is a reality for all #Blogger blogs, blog owners will see a problem accessing their blogs using the "www" alias of the "blogspot.com" URL. This restriction applies to custom domain published blogs also, when the "blogspot" URL is used. The "blogspot.com" URL will still redirect, automatically, to a published domain URL - but the "www" alias of the "blogspot.com" URL will not work.

All "blogspot.com" URLs will have to be shared, without the "www" alias.

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