Avoid Fake Images With Google’s New Fact-Check System

Make sure that wild image is real before you share it with all your friends

by
Rob LeFebvre
Senior News Editor
Rob LeFebvre has been a freelance technology writer for 10 years and an educator for 20. His articles have appeared in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and many others.
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Rob LeFebvre
Published June 22, 2020

It’s harder and harder to spot a fake image these days; new fact-checking on Google Images can help us separate fact from fiction before we share it too widely.

Example of an image search fact check
Google

A picture is worth a thousand words; it’s been said often enough to the point of cliche. False information abounds on the internet, much of it in images. Google has added a fact-checking system to its image search, which could help us all know when an image is fake. (Try not to share false images on purpose, ok?)

Behind the scenes: As Engadget notes, there are worries that the upcoming election will be manipulated with false imagery as well as fake news and social media posts. Google is now applying the same fact-checking technology it uses on YouTube, Search, and News (ClaimReview) for images.

How it works: When searching for images on Google, you now may see a fact check badge under the thumbnail image results. Tapping the little label will show you a summary of the fact check of the web page the image is from. Just like fact checks on Search results, the fact-check won’t affect a web page’s ranking, so the relevant information underlying your image searches should still appear at the top of your results.

Bottom line: Many images may seem obviously fake, but there are likely many more that aren’t as blatant. Having an independent check on the veracity of your images can only help slow the spread of misinformation across the internet.

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