Google is rolling up its sleeves to improve how we search stuff online, making it a bit more legit and safe
Searching for things on Google hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Sometimes, clicking the top link puts you in risky territory because hackers can slide in shady links through ad space. But Google is putting effort into fixing that, at least when it comes to ensuring that what you see on your screen is the real deal. According to The Verge, Google is testing a new system that drops a blue verification badge next to legit websites in Search, kind of like the verification marks you see on social media profiles, except on X where it’s a pay-to-play situation.
When you hover over this little badge, it doesn’t mean Google’s vouching for the company. Instead, you’ll get a message saying, “This icon shows because Google’s signals suggest that this business is what it claims to be, but we can’t promise their reliability.” It’s purely a nod to say you’re not in la-la land and have made it to the right spot.
Right now, The Verge spotted it beside links for big names like Microsoft, Meta, Epic Games, Apple, Amazon, and HP when using particular accounts for searches. This isn’t happening across the board yet, giving us major test-run vibes. Google’s confirmed with Mashable to double down on the fact that this feature isn’t widespread yet but is part of their regular attempts to boost trust with online businesses.
This vibe isn’t entirely new; Google recently unrolled a similar badge for Gmail, based on the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI). So, whenever an email sender uses this platform, a blue checkmark swipes in next to their name. Essentially, it’s Google’s way of making sure you know who’s who and keeping things a bit more real.
Keep an ear out on VZN for further developments, as Google tweaks this new badge system with select user accounts for now.
