Google to change search algorithm to elevate 'original reporting'

JHVEPhoto/iStock(NEW YORK) -- In an over-saturated digital news age, Google announced new changes to its search algorithm that aim to elevate more "original reporting."

Richard Gringras, the vice president of news at Google, announced the changes in a statement Thursday, saying the updates on the back end will help Google "better recognize original reporting, surface it more prominently in Search and ensure it stays there longer."

He touted it as a benefit to both readers interested in finding "the story that started it all" as well as news organizations that can have their original pieces more widely circulated online.

The move comes at time when the fast-moving world of internet news means long-form investigations and other stories can quickly and easily be picked up and re-reported by a myriad of other online outlets.

"This can make it difficult for users to find the story that kicked everything off," Gingras wrote.

He also acknowledged that Google's efforts will "constantly evolve" as there is no "absolute definition of original reporting, nor is there an absolute standard for establishing how original a given article is."

Google's search algorithm is constantly in the spotlight and has courted controversy in the past for how it ranks news searches.

In August 2018, President Donald Trump attacked Google in a series of tweets, accusing the company of prioritizing "fake news" and saying the results are "rigged" against him. The company denied the allegations, saying the search engine algorithm doesn't include any consideration of politics.

Also on Thursday, fellow tech giant Facebook announced expansions to its tools for local news and information.

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