Alphabet’s Google is testing showing checkmarks next to certain companies in its search results, a company spokesman said Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify trusted sources and steer clear of fake websites.
Fake websites impersonating official companies or services could creep into online search results, leading users to see false information about a company, misleading users and potentially damaging the brand.
“We regularly experiment with features that help customers identify trusted businesses online, and we’re currently running a small experiment that shows checkmarks next to certain businesses on Google,” the spokesperson said.
Google already uses automated systems to identify pages with “fraudulent” or fraudulent content and prevent them from appearing in search results.
The Verge reported the development earlier Friday, adding that it had spotted blue checkmarks next to official site links for companies including Microsoft, Meta and Apple in search results.
Only some users were able to see the feature, the Verge said, indicating that Google has not yet rolled out the test widely.
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