The November website: what’s up with WOT? Check your website now

When you search online for something your chosen search engine returns a long list of websites that meet your search criteria. Now you can choose which site to click on first.

But wait! How do you know whether or not the site is safe to visit? Might it put malware on your computer? Could it be a scam or a rogue web store? Or are the links untrustworthy? Is it safe for online shopping?

Of course having strong anti-virus and anti-malware software loaded is your first line of defence against cyber threats, but there are some threats that they just can’t spot.

Safer cyber surfing

That’s where WOT (Web of Trust) comes in. It’s a free browser add-on available for Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari. What it does is tell you how its global community of millions of users have rated various websites from real life experience for trustworthiness and child safety. Sites with a green circle next to them are considered “good”, red of course is “bad”, and yellow warns you to be cautious. A blue question mark over a grey circle means the site hasn’t yet been rated by enough users.

Download WOT free at www.mywot.com.

Important: Search for your own website regularly – if WOT shows it as anything but green, potential customers and clients may be finding you online but then surfing away, afraid to click on your website link. See WOT’s “Reputation” FAQs at for tips on how to get your rating back to “green for good”.

Disclaimer The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your professional adviser for specific and detailed advice.