Google to start fact-checking Google Images
- Sara Fischer, author of Axios Media Trends
Photo: Olly Curtis/Future via Getty Images
In an effort to curb the spread of misinformation on its platform, Google said Monday it would begin to fact-check Google Images search results.
Why it matters: The danger of text-based misinformation could be dwarfed by that posed by misleading, manipulated and outright fake photos and videos, including convincing "deepfakes" generated with the aid of artificial intelligence.
The big picture: The move, a first among major search engines, comes as tech firms continue to wrestle with how to address the misinformation that continue to run rampant on their platforms.
Details: Beginning Monday, Google will surface fact-check information in Google Images around the world, a similar effort to what is does in its regular search and news results.
- When users search on Google Images, they may see a fact-check label under image thumbnails. The fact-check could apply to the image itself or the website it appears on.
Yes, but: Google says fact checks won't affect rankings in image search, similar to how its fact checks don't impact rankings in Google News or Google Search.