Google Introduces More Features to Prevent Spreading of Misinformation

Not many people know, but April 2nd is officially an International Fact-Checking Day. With easy access to information online, there is always a high risk of stumbling upon false news and intentional misinformation. To reduce the chances of this happening, Google decided to offer new upgrades and tools that allow users to see where the information is coming from.

The range of features offered by Google includes notices regarding the news. If you are googling information about a situation that is still evolving, you will get an alert that the facts regarding this case are not fully clear. The alert will appear when you search for information in English and you will also see a reminder to trust only proven sources. While it may seem insignificant, just getting a message that the information is still being gathered may stop people from further spreading misinformation.

Another interesting tool is called ‘Highly Cited’ and it allows users to find a particular article or news from which other media outlets take the information. It’s not a secret that the information spreads quickly, but it can be changed along the way by other websites. In this case, finding the original material can be very helpful.

Google also encourages users to get familiar with the Fact Check Explorer feature. With the help of this tool, users have an opportunity to learn about many different topics and also cross-reference thousands of facts that will provide them with in-depth context.

Even though it’s impossible to completely eliminate misinformation, such tools may still be helpful if they become widely used by people.

What are your thoughts on these features? Please, tell us what you think about the efforts of Google in the comments below!