Google has announced that Google Images will now include fact-check information, building on the fact-check features in Google Search and News.
Visual media adds a lot of power and value to text-based articles. However, given advances in technology and the growth of dubious sources, questions may arise about an image’s origin, authenticity or context.
To help people address these issues and make more informed decisions about what they read and see online, some thumbnail results in Google Images will include a fact-check label. After tapping on an image to increase its viewing size, a summary of the fact-check will appear on the webpage.
The fact-check label will apply to search results from independent, authoritative sources that meet Google’s search criteria. Sources use ClaimReview, an open method publishers use to label fact-checked content for search engines. YouTube also uses ClaimReview for identifying fact-check information panels. Google’s Fact Check Explorer and open API provide access to the fact-check library.
Adding the fact-check label in Google Images doesn’t affect article or image rankings
Earlier this year, the Google News Initiative donated $6.5 million to help fight misinformation published about the coronavirus.
