Do it yourself: how to choose your preferred content on Google
Tech giant Google announced last night a series of new features designed to give users precise control over the content displayed to them in search services, the Discover feed, and the Google News app. The move is intended to connect users with their favorite sites, while reducing friction with random algorithm recommendations and providing direct tools for filtering interests.
Tech giant Google announced last night a series of new features designed to give users precise control over the content displayed to them in search services, the Discover feed, and the Google News app. The move is intended to connect users with their favorite sites, while reducing friction with random algorithm recommendations and providing direct tools for filtering interests.
Refining the feed in natural language
The main innovation comes to the Discover screen in the Google app. From now on, users will not have to settle for clicking on pre-set options, but will be able to click on the three-dot menu and write to Google in their own words exactly what they want to see. Detailed requests can be typed, such as "ideas for eco-friendly kitchen design" or "travel videos without camping," and the system will adjust the feed in real-time and remember the preferences for the future.
Alongside feed customization, Google is launching an interactive button called "Preferred Sources" that content sites can embed on their pages. Clicking the button adds the site to the user's list of preferred sources in their Google account and returns them directly to reading. Selected sites will gain high prominence in top search results, in AI Overviews summaries, and in AI Mode, with over 600,000 sources already selected by users.
Personalized audio news flashes
For users who prefer to consume news by listening while commuting or exercising, Google is updating the daily audio flashes in the Google News app for Android devices. It is now possible to build a personal audio edition by selecting specific topics, receive transparent attribution for every journalistic source, and access links to the full articles directly from the voice interface.
The update also incorporates deep insights from a pilot program of artificial intelligence tools operated in collaboration with content organizations around the world. The current upgrades represent a change in approach by the search giant, which is shifting some of the algorithmic choice power into the hands of the users themselves. The ability to define verbal preferences and prioritize specific news sites is expected to significantly impact traffic distribution on the web and help users receive relevant information free from distractions.
