Google has announced that it is giving its search results interface a major new feature.
The feature adds an “about this result” menu. The menu will let users pull up information from Wikipedia about a website in their search results, making it easier to vet sites that they are not familiar with.
To see the new information boxes, users would have to tap the three-dot icon on the top right of the result card. This will pull up a short snippet on the article.
Google noted that “these descriptions will provide the most up-to-date, verified, and sourced information available on Wikipedia.”
Additionally, the new search information box will display more detailed information on the result.
The box would indicate whether the result is an organic search result or a paid ad. It would also add if the site uses a secure HTTPS connection.
Google says the upgrade is designed to provide additional “peace of mind” when searching the web.
The new tool could help users sieve out misinformation when searching for news or health information on Google.
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It is likely not a coincidence that one of the company’s main examples is to help determine that a site like The Lancet is a valid source of medical information for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new feature, according to Google, is rolling out today as a beta version. However, the company says it would continue to take feedback from users to iterate and expand on the feature in future.
The beta version of the feature has started rolling out today for English language users in the US, for users on mobile web, desktop, and the Android Google app.
