Google Introduces New Features to Verify Information on Search
Google has announced the launch of new features on its search engine that aim to help users verify information they find on the platform. One of these features is called "Perspectives," which presents a carousel of insights from journalists, experts, and other relevant voices on the topic being searched, allowing users to gain a better understanding of the news topic. The carousel will soon be available in English in the US on both desktop and mobile.
Another feature being introduced is "About this author," which provides users with more information about the authors behind the content they are reading. This feature is being launched in English worldwide and will also be available on the Perspectives carousel in the United States.
Google is also expanding its existing "About this result" feature, which provides users with details about the source of the information and how it was deemed useful for the query. The feature will soon be available globally in all languages where Google Search is available.
Additionally, Google is making its "About this page" feature more accessible by allowing users to type in the URL of an organization and have information from the feature populate at the top of the search results. This feature is now available worldwide in English.
Google is also expanding its advisories in search results to provide context for the whole set of results on the page, with plans to roll out the feature in several languages in the coming months.
Finally, Google announced that it is launching the Global Fact Check Fund, a $13.2 million grant to support more than 130 fact-checking organizations from 65 countries, covering over 80 languages. The fund will open in the coming days.
Overall, these new features and expansions demonstrate Google's commitment to providing reliable information and fighting misinformation online.
Alan Herrera is the Editorial Supervisor for the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents (AFPC-USA), where he oversees the organization’s media platform, foreignpress.org. He previously served as AFPC-USA’s General Secretary from 2019 to 2021 and as its Treasurer until early 2022.
Alan is an editor and reporter who has worked on interviews with such individuals as former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the former President of the United Nations General Assembly; and Mariangela Zappia, the former Permanent Representative to Italy for the U.N. and current Italian Ambassador to the United States.
Alan has spent his career managing teams as well as commissioning, writing, and editing pieces on subjects like sustainable trade, financial markets, climate change, artificial intelligence, threats to the global information environment, and domestic and international politics. Alan began his career writing film criticism for fun and later worked as the Editor on the content team for Star Trek actor and activist George Takei, where he oversaw the writing team and championed progressive policy initatives, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ rights advocacy.