Google will change the search algorithm to elevate the "original report"

In the era of supersaturated digital news, Google has announced new modifications to its search algorithm, which could lead to more "original reports".

"I see it as a good direction, that's what we ask, news editors have been asking for years, so the fact that they recognize that it's a good thing," said David Chavern, President and CEO of News Media. Alliance, which represents 2,000 news publishers, told ABC News.

"Google's algorithms are completely opaque," he added. "So, although they may say that they change them in one way or another, no one knows how they actually changed or what effect they actually have."

Richard Gringras, Google's vice president of news, announced the changes in a statement on Thursday, saying the updates at the back will allow Google "to better recognize the original information, put it more in evidence in research and to ensure that they stay there longer ".

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Gringras has introduced it as a benefit for both readers interested in finding "the story that has triggered everything", as well as for news agencies that can broadcast their original articles more widely online.

This evolution comes at a time when the ever-changing world of internet news allows long surveys and other stories to quickly and easily be picked up and reported by a host of other online outlets.

"It can make it difficult for users to find the story that has triggered everything," wrote Gingras.

Mr. Chavern said that there "are estimates that, if you post last-minute information on almost everything, Google search results will stay at the top of search results for no more than 6 minutes."

It's "good for readers to understand the original information behind something" and "pay attention to where their news comes from," he said, adding that readers would often say "I'm reading something on Google or Facebook "without knowing where she was originally. of, which can contribute to the spread of misinformation.

Gringras also acknowledged that Google's efforts "will evolve constantly" because there is no "absolute definition of the original report, nor an absolute standard to determine the original". an article."

According to Chavern, these changes to the algorithms used by technology companies can have a significant impact on news organizations.

"Last year, when Facebook announced that it had changed the algorithm to prioritize its friends and family, it did not sound horrible, but it completely destroyed the world." some publishers, "he said.

Google's search algorithm is constantly in the spotlight and has sparked controversy in the past for its ranking in the news searches.

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In August 2018, President Donald Trump attacked Google in a series of tweets, accusing the company of giving priority to "false information" and claiming that the results are "rigged" against him. The company denied the allegations, claiming that the search engine algorithm did not include any political considerations.

Also Thursday, the technology giant Facebook has announced the extension of its tools for local information. The head of international television partnerships, Cambell Brown, told The Associated Press that Facebook had a responsibility to support journalism even as the media sector was declining "for a very long time."

If there's one thing that big tech companies have to do to help promote journalism, it's to "come up with a compensation model for news," Chavern said.

"They pay to get a license for music content, they just refused to pay for news, and that must change," he said.