Google has been making efforts to combat the spread of misleading information across its platform. Previously, the company surfaced fact-check labels on Google’s main and news pages, however, Google is now broadening fact-check labels to images. Now, the company has announced that it will start to fact-check Images search results. Google announced on Monday that the company will now ‘fact-check’ labels to thumbnails in image search results. An image may describe a thousand words, however, those words might require extra context. The fact-check labels added by Google are not perfect, however, these labels are better than nothing. As part of the update, Google will also display a brief summary including what the page is fact-checking as well as the related verdict.
Deepfakes are being posted on the platform that are created with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). Moreover, photos and videos containing misleading information can be harmful to users. Google is the first among major search engines to introduce fact-checking for image search results.
The new move comes as various tech companies continue to combat with how to address misleading information. A lot of major social media companies have been under great pressure to fact-check the information and data that can surface via the use of their platforms. Obviously, these companies cannot be held responsible for the creation of misleading information, however, people commonly argue that the previously unparalleled reach engendered by their platforms develop a type on social responsibility.
Harris Cohen, Group Product Manager, Search, said that its company will begin to surface fact-check information in Google Images search results across the globe. Beginning Monday, Google will start fact-checking images, the company announced. Google already fact-check news search results as well as regular search.
Now, when you will perform a search on Google Images, you may see a fact-check label under the thumbnails of images. The company may apply fact-check labels to an image or to the website on which that particular image appears.
You might be thinking that these fact-check labels may impact the ranking in Google Images search results. However, the company explained that these labels will not affect rankings in Google Images search results. These fact-check labels will be similar to those labels the company applies to Google Search or Google News. Fact-check labels do not affect rankings in Google Search or Google News.
During the past few weeks, Twitter and Facebook have also ratcheted up their fact-checking of political bodies, and Google has also started to expand fact-checking on Google’s YouTube to cover conspiracy theories related to the coronavirus and 5G. The new update introduced by Google to the Images tab is another extension of Google’s fact-checking initiative.
Google will not add fact-check labels for all images from any source. The tech giant will summarize the content of fact-check articles and attach them to the Google Images search results that come from those particular fact-checking websites. It is not yet clear what criteria a publisher requires to meet to be considered authentic, however, according to a ‘help page,’ the company uses an algorithm to identify which publishers can be considered as trusted sources.
Read next: Google Chrome's “Extension Checkup” will help users protect their privacy and security
Deepfakes are being posted on the platform that are created with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). Moreover, photos and videos containing misleading information can be harmful to users. Google is the first among major search engines to introduce fact-checking for image search results.
The new move comes as various tech companies continue to combat with how to address misleading information. A lot of major social media companies have been under great pressure to fact-check the information and data that can surface via the use of their platforms. Obviously, these companies cannot be held responsible for the creation of misleading information, however, people commonly argue that the previously unparalleled reach engendered by their platforms develop a type on social responsibility.
Harris Cohen, Group Product Manager, Search, said that its company will begin to surface fact-check information in Google Images search results across the globe. Beginning Monday, Google will start fact-checking images, the company announced. Google already fact-check news search results as well as regular search.
Now, when you will perform a search on Google Images, you may see a fact-check label under the thumbnails of images. The company may apply fact-check labels to an image or to the website on which that particular image appears.
You might be thinking that these fact-check labels may impact the ranking in Google Images search results. However, the company explained that these labels will not affect rankings in Google Images search results. These fact-check labels will be similar to those labels the company applies to Google Search or Google News. Fact-check labels do not affect rankings in Google Search or Google News.
During the past few weeks, Twitter and Facebook have also ratcheted up their fact-checking of political bodies, and Google has also started to expand fact-checking on Google’s YouTube to cover conspiracy theories related to the coronavirus and 5G. The new update introduced by Google to the Images tab is another extension of Google’s fact-checking initiative.
Google will not add fact-check labels for all images from any source. The tech giant will summarize the content of fact-check articles and attach them to the Google Images search results that come from those particular fact-checking websites. It is not yet clear what criteria a publisher requires to meet to be considered authentic, however, according to a ‘help page,’ the company uses an algorithm to identify which publishers can be considered as trusted sources.
Read next: Google Chrome's “Extension Checkup” will help users protect their privacy and security
