Google's fact-check tool: Google has launched a new tool called "About this Image" that's designed to help people assess the credibility and context of images they come across while searching online. This feature is now available to English-language users worldwide, and it aims to empower users with valuable information about the images they encounter.
Checking Image Credibility Made Easy
This new tool offers users a straightforward way to delve into an image's history, metadata, and the various contexts in which it has been used on different websites. The company explained that you can access this tool by clicking on the three dots on an image in Google Images results or by selecting 'more about this page' in the 'About this result' tool in search results.
Exploring an Image's History
The "About this Image" feature provides users with insights into an image's history. This means you can discover when Google Search first encountered the image and whether it was previously published on other web pages.
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Understanding Image Metadata
In addition to historical information, the tool offers details about an image's metadata when available. This metadata includes information added by image creators and publishers. It can even reveal if an image has been generated or enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI).
Discovering Image Context
Users can also explore how an image is used on various web pages and gather insights from different sources, including news and fact-checking sites. This information allows users to assess the claims associated with an image and access perspectives from other reliable sources.
Empowering Journalists and Fact-Checkers
In tandem with the "About this Image" tool, Google has introduced the 'FaceCheck Claim Search API,' allowing approved journalists and fact-checkers to upload or copy URLs of images for further investigation within their own tools.
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Fact-Checking and AI Advancements
Google has been actively working on enhancing fact-checking capabilities. They initiated testing of the Fact Check Explorer tool, which empowers fact-checkers to explore fact-checks, references, and associated details for specific images. Additionally, the company is experimenting with generative AI to improve source descriptions, especially for unfamiliar sellers or unknown blogs.
