Google, the world’s largest search engine, has recently rolled out a series of new features aimed at helping users verify information on its platform. The company’s latest additions include “Perspectives” and “About this author,” which will appear below Top Stories and showcase insights from various journalists, experts, and relevant voices on the topic being searched for.
“Perspectives” Brings Diverse Viewpoints to the Forefront
One of Google’s most significant updates is the “Perspectives” carousel that showcases different viewpoints on a particular topic. A feature powered by AI, the perspectives carousel intends to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a subject by bringing together different perspectives from trusted sources in one place.
With each perspective displayed in a card format with a small blurb, users can quickly scan through the various viewpoints before reading the full articles or clicking on further links. Until now, this feature is only available for English searches but will be expanded to other languages soon.
“About This Author” Provides Background Information about Writers
The second critical tool that Google has introduced as part of its initiative is called “About this author” – a feature that allows users to find out more about writers whose articles they come across on Google Search. The feature provides more information about the background and experience of news voices surfaced on Search, encouraging the use of trustworthy sources.
This information can prove crucial in establishing credibility and reliability when searching for information on specific topics. The importance of trustworthy authors has become increasingly important in recent years as concerns surrounding fake news and misinformation continue to dominate media headlines.
“About This Result” Helps Users Understand Where Information Comes From
Google has also launched “About this result,” globally accessible in all languages where Search is available, providing details about where the information is coming from and how Google’s systems determined it would be useful for a query. By clicking on the three dots next to a search result, users will be able to learn more about the sources and sites they see in Google Search.
To save time and improve efficiency, Google has also made it easier for users to access the “About this page” feature by typing in the URL of the organization they are searching for. Information from “About this page” will populate at the top of Search – enabling users to find out quickly about the organization that created the content.
Expanding Advisories in Search Results
Google is expanding its advisories in search results to languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese in the coming months to provide context about the whole set of results on the search page. These improvements ensure users have access to a wider range of trustworthy sources and that diverse opinions are taken into account when ranking search results.
Fighting Misinformation and Promoting News Literacy through Education
These new features of Google emphasize the importance of demonstrating that a site and its authors are authorities on topics they write about. Creating authoritative content that meets Google’s guidelines can help improve rankings and user credibility.
Google intends these updates as part of its continuing efforts to promote news literacy and fight misinformation. Besides these tools, Google is also launching a new Global Fact Check Fund to support more than 130 fact-checking organizations from across 65 countries covering over 80 languages. The company aims to combat fake news by educating users on how to differentiate fact-based journalism from manipulated or biased information.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google has launched a series of new features geared towards providing more context around news stories while promoting news literacy and fighting misinformation. With these features, Google intends to help users identify trustworthy sources while making it easier for them to verify information. Nevertheless, it remains up to users to remain vigilant against misinformation – by using these features alongside other tools and resources, they can make better-informed decisions for themselves.
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