This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
On September 13, 2019, Google announced a significant update to its search algorithm, aimed at promoting original reporting and investigative journalism.
The move comes as the tech giant faces increasing criticism from media outlets over its algorithms, which have been blamed for plummeting online traffic and the industry's decline.
According to Google's vice president of news, Richard Gingras, the changes will give preference to stories that demonstrate 'original, in-depth and investigative reporting.'
These stories will be evaluated by a team of roughly 10,000 reviewers, who will also assess the publisher's overall reputation for original reporting. Outlets that have been awarded Pulitzer Prizes will be given special consideration.
However, defining original reporting can be complex, as many online outlets build on scoops or exclusives with their own original information. This may pose a challenge for Google's algorithm.
Some experts have raised concerns that the emphasis on originality could exacerbate the already frenetic online news cycle, making it lucrative to get breaking news online even faster and without proper verification.
