Trust the .gov at the end
Tell a government website from one that only looks like one.
A web address ending in .gov belongs to an American government body. Nobody else is allowed to hold one.
A .com or a .net may be useful, may charge a fee, and is not the agency.
Key points
- A .gov address belongs to an American government body
- The ending is the test, not the seal or the wording
What to remember
- Read the ending before you press the result.
- Read the address, not the artwork.
Try this
Read a government page’s address up to the first slash. Bookmark it if it says .gov.
Practice: Trust the .gov at the end. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.