Google has unveiled several updates to its image search capabilities. These changes aim to improve how Google Search handles deepfakes and expand the “About this image” feature. The new features will be available in Circle to Search and Google Lens.
Tackling Deepfakes in Google Search
Google has made two significant updates to address deepfakes in search results. First, they have improved their ranking system. This update helps ensure that deepfake content doesn’t appear high in search results. Second, they have made it easier to remove deepfakes from Google Search.
For searches with a high risk of explicit fake content, Google has updated its ranking system. This update will lower the visibility of explicit fake content for many searches. When searching for people’s names, Google will prioritize high-quality, non-explicit content. This includes relevant news articles when available.
Google has reported a 70% improvement in this area already. They have also made progress in distinguishing between real, consensual explicit content and fake explicit content like deepfakes. While this task is challenging, Google continues to work on improving its ability to surface legitimate content and downrank explicit fake content.
Google’s approach involves detecting patterns among websites. Sites with many pages removed under Google’s policies are considered lower quality. This factor influences how Google ranks other pages from the same site. As a result, sites with a high volume of removals for fake explicit imagery are demoted in search results.
Removing Deepfakes Made Easier
Google has streamlined the process for removing deepfakes from search results. When an individual successfully requests the removal of explicit non-consensual fake content featuring them, Google’s systems will filter all explicit results on similar searches about that person.
Furthermore, when an image is successfully removed from Google Search, Google will scan for and remove any duplicates of that image in its index.
Expansion of “About this image” Feature
Google has extended its “About this image” feature to Circle to Search and Google Lens. This feature, launched about a year ago, provides context for images similar to the “About this result” feature for text-based search results.
“About this image” shows when Google first indexed the image and similar images. It also displays where the image may have appeared first and other places it can be found, such as news sites, social media, or other websites.
By expanding this feature to Circle to Search and Google Lens, users can quickly get context on images they encounter anywhere online. This expansion provides more ways for users to verify and understand the images they see across the internet.
These updates demonstrate Google’s commitment to improving image search capabilities and combating misinformation. By addressing deepfakes and providing more context for images, Google aims to create a more reliable and informative search experience for its users.
