Google is making some significant changes to its search engine in order to combat the spread of fake news. The changes, known collectively as Project Owl, will include user feedback for search suggestions and “Featured Snippets,” as well as a boost in rankings for “authoritative content.”
It’s not immediately clear what impact these changes will have on most websites. Google isn’t saying how it determines what constitutes “authoritative content.” Initial reports do suggest that fake news and offensive content is now appearing lower in search results. It’s possible the effect will increase with time as more people offer feedback.