Uniform Resource Locators, or URLs, are the familiar web addresses you use every day. They direct browsers to the right addresses so you don't have to manage complicated routing protocols and strings of numbers. But over time, URLs have gotten more and more difficult to read and understand. Their opacity has been a boon for cyber criminals, who build malicious sites to exploit the confusion. They impersonate legitimate institutions, launch phishing schemes, hawk malicious downloads, and run phony web services. Given the potential for URLs to be exploited for nefarious use, Google is considering a new, replacement system that improves Internet users’ understanding and trust of the websites they’re visiting. Google hasn’t offered any examples of the types of schemes it’s considering, noting that right now it’s identifying all the ways people use URLs to try to find an alternative that will enhance security and identity integrity whole also allowing convenience for everyday tasks. Wired.