*Update: Google called us back and explained the questions we had. For starters, new fragments are available for Android, iOS, and computers. According to a company representative, work on them is currently underway and Google will continue to improve them.
Changes Information on this is divided into two parts. About This score is available on mobile and desktop devices with plans to expand language support to include German and Dutch. The information about this page is now only available on iOS, with Android support coming soon. This feature is also available to French, Italian and Spanish users worldwide, but no specific date has been provided.
Finally, content advice has been confirmed to be available on mobile devices and computers as well, but only in English. Notifications are also available in five countries: US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It is unknown if and when these tips will be implemented elsewhere.
The original story continues below.*
Google is updating its search engine to cut down on misleading snippets and improve the ways people educate by adding more contextual information. In other words, Google is expanding its efforts to eradicate disinformation in its amazing search service.
Snippets are text that you see at the top of the search results page and are designed to respond quickly. Although sources have been included to back up the information, there appear to have been cases where excerpts have stated a source that contradicts common scientific consensus. Which is possibly the biggest change in the update (opens in a new tab)featured excerpts will contain information based on “multiple high-quality sources”.
The improved snippets will be backed by an artificial intelligence from Google called United Multitasking Model (MUM). The AI will actively check the featured snippets and compare this information with other sources to see if they all match or if changes are needed. Google claims that this “technique has significantly improved the quality and usefulness …” of the featured snippets.
Skipping disinformation
MUM will also help combat misleading information by not displaying excerpts for unanswered questions or which are considered “false assumptions”. Google offers a strange user scenario looking for the day Snoopy of Peanuts murdered President Abraham Lincoln. This has never happened so it is not possible to inform the user exactly and may result in a confusing passage or create a bad impression.
The company acknowledges that occasions where a search engine creates misleading snippets are rare, but it does happen. He wants to prevent this situation in a preventive manner. Google says snippets of claims based on these “false assumptions” have already dropped 40 percent as part of the update.
Add context
Other changes to Google Search affect page information and content recommendations.
Information Now you will let you know how widespread the source is, reviews of the source, whether it is owned by the parent company, and whether any information is missing. Google says all of this is important to provide context. The search function is also supported in eight other languages that will be launched later this year. Language support includes Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and Indonesian.
Content advice extends beyond compiling news to include results of questionable quality and sources. The announcement explains that this does not mean that there is no good or bad information for the search query. This is just a reminder to be more skeptical of the things you will find on this page.
The release date of the update has not been disclosed but may be soon. When we checked Google on desktop and mobile, we didn’t notice any differences: no new content advice or About this site. We asked Google when people can expect changes. This story will be updated if we get a reply.
Google is working hard to combat misinformation in its search engine. In the last questions and answersPublic Liaison for Search revealed that the Google search engine reduced the number of irrelevant results by more than 50 percent. And recently, the tech giant revealed that it is making big changes to the Google Play Store to get rid of annoying ads and spoofing. Be sure to check our coverage.