Seeing https in a web address answers an important question about the connection. It does not settle every question about the site or the information on it. Last updated: TBD. This explanation follows the official MDN Web Docs reference linked below.
What the connection protects
HTTPS is HTTP used with TLS to protect communication between a client and a server. MDN describes protections including encryption and integrity, along with authentication of the server. The details and limits of those protections belong to the protocol and its implementation, not to a general promise that every site is safe.
What it cannot establish
A protected connection does not verify that a page’s statements are true, that its operator is acting in good faith, or that a linked document is authoritative. Those are source and content questions. For a technical explanation, look for the underlying official documentation and confirm that it supports the specific claim.
Follow the documentation
MDN’s HTTPS reference explains the term and links it to related security concepts: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/HTTPS. Read it alongside the page’s cited sources when you need more detail. The practical distinction is simple: HTTPS concerns the connection; source verification concerns what you should believe.