Google is updating its search results with an important new feature: an “about this result” menu that allows you to pull information from Wikipedia about a website into your search results, making it easier to view sites you don’t know.
To see the new information boxes, just tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the results card, which will display a short excerpt about the article. Google says that “these descriptions provide the most up-to-date verified and source information available on Wikipedia.”
In addition, the new search information box shows more detailed information about the result, such as whether it is an organic search result or a paid ad, or whether the site uses a secure HTTPS connection.
Google says the new result information is designed to provide additional “peace of mind” when searching. But it’s also easy to see how the new tool can help users discard misinformation when looking for news or health information on Google. It is probably no coincidence that one of the main examples of the business is to help determine that a site is fun The Lancet is a valid source of medical information for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new feature is rolling out in beta today. The company says it will continue to use user feedback to iterate and expand on it in the future, although Google doesn’t yet provide hard details on what that will look like.
The new ‘about this result’ feature is rolling out today as a beta to English-speaking users in the US for mobile web, desktop and the Android Google app.