Three items assess whether a website displays visible signals of third-party security validation — including trust seals from organisations like TRUSTe, security certificates from providers like VeriSign, and general audit indicators. Operationalises security credentialling as a tangible cue.
Bart, Y., Shankar, V., Sultan, F., & Urban, G. L. (2005). Are the drivers and role of online trust the same for all web sites and consumers? A large-scale exploratory empirical study. Journal of Marketing, 69(4), 133–152.
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