Is it safe to purchase things on public wifi?

Is it safe to buy stuff on public Wi-Fi? Well, honestly, I wouldn’t freak out about using it for a quick purchase. See, if the website has that little “https” and the padlock icon – you know, the one that makes you feel all secure and important? – your credit card info is basically encrypted. Think of it like a super-secret code between you and the website. So, even if you’re connected to some shady cafe’s Wi-Fi (you know the kind, with a password like “Password123”), they can’t just peek at your credit card number. It’s gibberish to them.

That being said… other stuff might be visible. It’s like, yeah, your credit card is safe, but maybe they can see which weird cat sweaters you’re browsing. Not the end of the world, but still. I remember once I was at this airport, desperately trying to buy an overpriced sandwich on some random public Wi-Fi, and it felt kinda sketchy. I mean, who knows what lurks on those networks? Probably nothing, but still. Makes you think, right?

So, bottom line? For a quick purchase, I’d probably risk it if the website is https. But for anything more sensitive, like online banking or, I don’t know, applying for a top-secret spy job, maybe wait till you’re home. Just my two cents!