Search engine updates are a way for the platform to address a scenario where people show increasing concern about false information
Google is introducing new features to make it easier to access information from trusted sources in search results. Among the solutions are faster access to the profiles of pages that appear in search results and issuing a warning to users when information on certain subjects is changing rapidly, such as in breaking news.
Some of these features should arrive in Brazil later this year. It is the case of “About this page”, with more information about the source of the publication, and About this result, which will allow the user to obtain more knowledge about the results before visiting the web page.
In the case of the issue of warnings feature, created to deal with “information vacuums” in situations of recent episodes or hot topics, the platform will indicate that the best option is to search later, when there are more qualified and reliable sources. Now available in Brazil, it should receive an update in the coming months, identifying when the results are of low quality.
Gaining context with updates is a way for the platform to deal with a scenario that shows the growing concern of people with false information, as recorded by the survey by the Poynter Institute and YouGov, supported by Google and carried out in seven countries, including Brazil .
Among national users, 44% declared that they access false or misleading information every day and 65% say they are concerned that they or their family members believe this type of information.
Brazil was the country where respondents most said they use search tools to check for suspicious information, 55%. Two out of three (66%) say they check the source and 59% that they check the date of publication.
People turn to Google every day for information when it matters most. sometimes to look for the best recipe for dinner; others, to verify the facts about a statement they heard from a friend. No matter what you’re looking for, our goal is to connect you with high-quality information and help you understand and evaluate that information,” wrote Pandu Nayak, vice president of global Google Search, in announcing the updates.