Twitter is now following in the footsteps of Facebook by offering an opt-in “always-on” HTTPS (SSL) setting for its users. The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption will protect Twitter users who access their account via unsecured Wi-Fi connections by encrypting all sensitive login information used to login to the site. However, you will need to check if third-party apps offer HTTPS so there is no guarantee when using those.

“This will improve the security of your account and better protect your information if you’re using Twitter over an unsecured Internet connection, like a public WiFi network, where someone may be able to eavesdrop on your site activity,” said the company’s Carolyn Penner in a blog post.

“In the future, we hope to make HTTPS the default setting.”

Prior to Twitter’s announcement of SSL, Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter account was hacked while he attended a TED conference in Long Beach, California and it is suspected that this happened because of a lack of the use of SSL. Most likely, the hacker used Firesheep, a Firefox browser extension which makes it child’s play for anyone sitting close to you on an unsecured Wi-Fi connection to gain access to your account.

To turn on HTTPS, go to your settings and check the box next to “Always use HTTPS,” which is at the bottom of the page.

However, accessing Twitter from your mobile phone does not force HTTPS even when it is switched on via the settings page. As a work around, Twitter is telling users to access the service through https://mobile.twitter.com for the time being.

“We are working on a solution that will share the “Always use HTTPS” setting across twitter.com and mobile.twitter.com, so you don’t have to think about which device you’re using when you want to check Twitter,” said Penner.