Google launches About this Image fact checking tool

The usage of context photographs and videos on social media has resulted in the spread of hazardous disinformation. Google has said that it will provide additional contextual information about an image in order to avoid the spread of incorrect information.

The new collection of capabilities includes the ability to view an image's history, metadata, and the context in which it was used on various sites. Google revealed these "About this image" features earlier this year, and they are now available to all English speakers worldwide.

Users can determine when an image was first "seen" by Google Search to determine the timeliness of a context. The technology also allows users to see how individuals characterized the image on other websites, which can assist debunk any fraudulent claims.

Google stated that when available, viewers would be able to examine metadata, including fields indicating whether the image was generated by AI. According to the corporation, it labels all photographs made by Google AI. Adobe, along with Microsoft, Nikon, and Leica, released a symbol in October to readily identify AI-generated photographs.

The new image tools can be accessed by clicking the three-dot menu on the Google Images results page. You can also get to it by selecting "more about this page" from the "About this result" feature, which is accessible via the three-dot menu. Google stated that it is looking at new ways to access them.

Google also announced today that with the FaceCheck Claim Search API, approved journalists and fact-checkers would be able to submit or copy image URLs to learn more about them within their own tools. The company began testing features using the Fact Check Explorer tool in June. This allows fact-checkers to investigate fact-checks, references, and other details related with a certain image.

Furthermore, the company is experimenting with generative AI to assist with the description of sources such as a website from an unknown merchant or a blog. Google stated that consumers who have chosen to use Search Generative Experience (SGE) will see AI-generated information about sites in the "more about this page section." It further stated that the generated data will include citations to the page or site on other "high quality" websites. When there are no details or an overview from Wikipedia or the Google Knowledge Graph, Google's AI will typically populate content.

Companies are working on technology to provide additional information about photographs, given the growth in technology that has made it possible for people to produce diverse images using generative AI. Adobe published an open source toolset in June to assist apps and websites in verifying image credentials. X has also established Community Notes, a crowdsourced fact-checking service for photos and videos.