Google is expanding its contextual search features to help users gain a more comprehensive understanding of the news by incorporating a broader range of perspectives. The newly-introduced Perspectives carousel displays viewpoints from experts, journalists, and other pertinent voices relevant to specific news topics. For example, users might see opinions from actors and critics following the Oscars. Perspectives will soon be available for English users in the US.
Moreover, users can now learn more about the authors behind news stories. The “About this author” feature, found within “About this result,” showcases writers’ backgrounds and promotes the use of credible sources. The author’s information is being rolled out globally in English and will also be included in the Perspectives carousel.
Google is simultaneously enhancing some existing features. “About this result” will be accessible for all search languages in the coming days. Advisories for rapidly evolving stories will be extended to French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese users. Additionally, when users search for an organization’s web address, they will see “About this page” information near the top, giving them a better sense of the site’s credibility.
These added features align with Google’s broader efforts to combat misinformation and foster news literacy through education, fact-checking, and supplementary information. Ideally, users will seek out more reliable data and break free from media bubbles that perpetuate biases. Although the effectiveness of these additions remains to be seen, they could prove invaluable for students looking to confirm the quality of sources for essays and research projects.
