Can someone explain to me why a news website needs HTTPS? Barring pages that require entry of financial information, why would you need to encrypt this kind of traffic? Is people snooping on what news articles you read a real concern?

Genuine question here.

HTTPS provides integrity checks as well as encryption.

Would you want someone between you and the site modifying it's contents in transit?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailored_Access_Operations#QUA...

So ISPs and government entities and others can't see what you're reading.

Here's a longer answer at superuser:

https://superuser.com/questions/563851/how-isp-sees-the-http...

But, yes, since ISPs may be getting into the business of analyzing and selling our browsing habits, https limits the amount of information that they see such as what particular page is viewed on a site. Certainly, that doesn't stop other ways to track, but it's a reasonable one.

thin.npr.org has been around for some time (2000s) and if my knowledge is correct even mentioned on HN once or twice before.

As for https, it's coming soon ;)

Thanks for the reply.

Random aside: why is your username green?

It's a new account.