When you want to know something, you “Google it”, but does the same ring true when it comes to breaking news?
Yes, Google may be the most important resource when it comes to accessing information while online, but the likes of Twitter could be most people’s port of call for up-to-the-second updates and nothing quite matches the viral nature of Facebook or WhatsApp.
It is why The Information (paywall) is reporting that Google is looking at tools and services to make it the go-to platform when it comes to breaking news.
“A small team inside Google’s search organization has spent more than a year developing a search engine feature called Big Moments that takes a more active role in determining what information to show in search results about major news events, according to three people with direct knowledge of the work,” notes the publication.
“The group has pursued the project as Google Search has continually struggled to keep up with breaking news such as the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, one of these people said,” it adds.
While adding the ability to keep track of breaking news could indeed prove useful, especially for those who wish to steer clear of the divisive landscape of Twitter, the nature of breaking news means that Google will need to have a thorough and efficient vetting process in place.
As we have seen on Twitter, the fact that everyone has a voice means there are more avenues to discover perspectives on a story that traditional media would not. This comes with its downsides however, as information may not be accurate before it spreads virally and becomes the narrative for an important event or situation.
If Google indeed wants to become the harbinger of breaking news with its Big Moments plan, it also needs to consider being the bastion of truth too, which is something that platforms like Facebook have shied away from in the past.
Either way it will be interesting to see how Big Moments is developed and evolved moving forward, should Google truly be willing to get involved in the world of breaking news.
[Image – Photo by Tech Daily on Unsplash]
[Source – The Information]
