Google has announced the launch of a new feature called Preferred Sources, which allows users to select specific news outlets and blogs to prioritize in search results. The feature will be available in the US and India over the next few days.
To access this feature, users can click on the plus icon next to “Top Stories” in their search results. This will allow them to add multiple sources, with no limit on the number of selections. Once added, these sources will appear more frequently in top stories or in a dedicated section called “From your sources”.
This move comes from a Labs experiment, where half of users selected four or more sources. Google has provided guidance for website publishers and owners to encourage readers to add their site.
Industry experts have mixed opinions on the new feature. While it may benefit larger news organizations with loyal audiences, it could also reinforce echo chambers and limit access to legitimate news outlets.
Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise at Poynter, a nonprofit media literacy program, expressed concerns that this move may further erode traffic for smaller publishers who haven’t built engaged audiences. He fears that people may be more likely to see their preferred sources reinforced rather than challenged.
Mahadevan also noted that the new feature could push users into echo chambers, where they only consume information from sources that align with their existing views. This raises questions about the future of publishing and media literacy, particularly if SEO is no longer a reliable way to attract traffic.
With Preferred Sources, Google aims to give users more control over search results while encouraging publishers to adapt to new strategies for attracting readers. However, it remains to be seen whether this initiative will ultimately benefit or harm the media landscape.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-wants-you-to-pick-your-own-news-sources-for-searches