Google is doing its share of getting rid of fake news online. A new tool called Fact Check was unveiled on Friday which will flag possible fake news stories to help users distinguish fact from fiction. In other words, Google will allow fact-checkers to pass judgment on stories before users can embarrassingly and stubbornly base their arguments and their own judgments on such false facts.
The Fact Check tag shows up beside the snippets of search results, particularly those of highly-contested stories, appearing as small breakout boxes. As Engadget explained, Google is not exactly the one doing the fact checking. The world's most popular search engine let PolitiFact, Snopes, and other fact-checking sites scrutinize the information. Bloomberg reported that the company will also allow publishers and other media organizations such as The New York Times and The Washington Post to help out by fact-checking each other. Google's search algorithm will still decide which articles will appear in the search results though any publisher can apply the new Fact Check feature to their article.
The goal of the new feature is for Google users to do a double take on what the Search results show them. They will be given the chance to have the articles go through fact checking before they believe what they read and share their own opinions on the subject matter.
Google, along with Facebook, was hit hard with accusations of proliferating fake news particularly during the U.S. presidential election campaign period during which a number of publications were allegedly spreading false news and accusations. At the time, Google introduced a fact checking system within Google News specifically to combat misinformation and offensive content. The Google Fact Check tool is not the final solution to the ongoing problem. However, the company sees it is a huge step towards that goal.
