Google News now offers a Fact Check feature

Discerning truth from lies on the Internet just got a little easier thanks to a new feature from Google News. As The Verge reports, the web giant now includes a fact check label that highlights reliable sources in news searches.

Using an algorithm, Google’s Claim Review process decides which stories qualify for the “fact check” distinction then specifies the sources that hold themselves to that standard. The description pops up next to stories like other Google News markers including “opinion”, “highly cited”, and “in-depth”. Google doesn’t share how many sites it has deemed worthy of the label, but the company states in a blog post that “rigorous fact checks are now conducted by more than 100 active sites.”

As viral Facebook posts and convincing satire articles have shown us, the internet can easily spread misinformation. It can also be used as a valuable research tool—something Google’s new feature aims to emphasise.