Google News – Get your facts right

Newspaper publishers may finally have a real reason to fear Google. The internet search engine recently announced that it is to launch a fact-checking service on its news pages.

Google is partnering with a number of organizations including the International Fact Checking Network and Duke University’s Reporters Lab  to separate fact from fiction.

Promoting the service, Google’s head of new, Richard Gingras said: “In the seven years since we started labelling types of articles in Google News (e.g., In-Depth, Opinion, Wikipedia), we’ve heard that many readers enjoy having easy access to a diverse range of content types. Earlier this year, we added a “Local Source” Tag to highlight local coverage of major stories. Today, we’re adding another new tag, “Fact check,” to help readers find fact checking in large news stories. You’ll see the tagged articles in the expanded story box on new.google.com and in the Google News & Weather iOS and Android apps, starting with the U.S. and the U.K.”

Google’s fact checking service should give the search engine greater credibility over their social media rivals. According to The Guardian, Facebook recently courted controversy after their automated news algorithm started promoting fake news. However, how many of the 18 to 24 year olds who use Facebook as their primary method of engaging with the news will be swayed by “the truth” remains to be seen.

The launch of the service comes less than a month away from the US elections and may prove pivotal in a campaign where both candidates have been accused of misrepresenting facts.

It will be really interesting to see how UK publishers engage with the service, particularly with red hot subjects like Brexit and the Marmite wars.

My gut tells me, that while some will embrace the truth and thrive on the added credibility Google’s badge of honour gives them, many others will continue to follow the policy of not letting the truth get in the way of a good story.