How Google's Fact Check Tools and SERP Features Work

In the spirit of International Fact-Checking Day this past weekend, we thought it was prevalent to cover some of the recent updates in Google’s Fact Check Tools and all of the different features Google uses to combat misinformation. 

A History of the Fact Check Tool and How it Evolved 

Google’s Fact Check Tools have been around for a while, and Google has explored showing fact-check information in various ways throughout different parts of the search engine results pages. In 2016 Google announced the 'Fact Check Tab' during the time of the presidential election. Google then announced that they were enabling publishers to show a fact check tag in its search and news results in early 2017. Google was and currently still does not do the fact-checking itself but instead used results from authoritative resources such as PolitiFact and Snopes.

This led to the necessity for publishers to start using ClaimReview markup along with specific fact-check guidelines if they wanted to be eligible for this feature within the news results.  Google has stated, “Only publishers that are algorithmically determined to be an authoritative source of information will qualify for inclusion”. In addition, Google partners with organizations focused on media literacy through the Google News Initiative.

Since 2018, Google has invested nearly $75 million to strengthen media literacy and combat misinformation around the world. A word from Google and YouTube, “Google and YouTube remain dedicated to keep doing our part to help you find what you’re looking for and give you the context you need to make informed decisions about what you see online. And we’re committed to continuing to support the journalists and fact-checking organizations on the front lines of the fight against misinformation”. In addition to that, Google and YouTube recently announced that they provided a $13.2 million grant to the International Fact-Checking Network to launch a new Global Fact Check Fund. This fund will help support multiple fact-checking organizations and help in the fight against misinformation. Changelog and updates made to the Fact Checker Tool can be found here. 

What are Google’s Fact Check Tools? 

The Google Fact Check Tools feature Fact Check Explorer, Fact Check Markup Tool, and Fact Check Markup API. All three tools aim to facilitate the work of fact-checkers, journalists, and researchers with the goal of giving users and publishers a way to better distinguish and combat misinformation across the web. 

Fact Check Explorer 

Google Fact Check Explorer is a search function designed to allow users to search by keywords and phrases to see a list of matching claims and the corresponding fact checks. Users can use the Explorer search very similar to how they use regular Google search. Fact checks are included in Explorer if they meet guidelines and are using the correct markup. It is possible to restrict results by language and publisher, or you can view recent fact checks. 

Here’s an example of what the Fact Check Explorer looks like when searching for recent fact checks: 

Source: Google

Fact Check Structured Data (ClaimReview) 

ClaimReview markup is a structured data property that allows pages that review claims made by others. In direct technical terms from schema.org, it is, “A fact-checking review of claims made (or reported) in some creative work (referenced via itemReviewed)”. ClaimReview structured data, when implemented correctly, can enable a summarized version of your fact check to display in Google Search results for relevant queries pertaining to the claims made. 

Fact Check Markup Tool

Similar to Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper, the Fact Check Markup Tool allows users to add and view their ClaimReview markup, allowing easy access to Google, Bing, Facebook, researchers, and other interested parties. People interested will need Google Search Console to be able to access this tool. 

Before this tool, one of the only ways to provide a ClaimReview markup for a URL was to embed the markup in the HTML of the article. This process can result in human error, and the Markup Tool aims to make that process easier by submitting the structured data via a web form versus needing to add anything to the article itself. Google has stated, “Markup created with this tool will be treated the same as markup that was embedded in the article directly”.  

Here’s an example of what the Fact Check Markup Tool features: 

Source: Fact Check Markup Tool

Fact Check Markup API 

Google has a ClaimReview read/write API that allows webmasters to make changes to a site’s markup using this API, although users must be authorized through Google Search Console to use the tool. This tool primarily creates, adds, and deletes ClaimReview markup for a site’s fact-checking articles or URLs. The Google Fact Check Tool API can also query the same Fact Check results from the Fact Check Explorer. 

How Fact Checks Show in Search Results 

Here are some examples and information on how fact checks can show up in different types of search results for different queries:

Within Google Search 

If a site has fact-checked a claim related to a user’s search, it is possible to see a search result with a small box that tells users: 

• The claim being checked 

• Who made the claim 

• The name of the publisher doing the fact check 

• A summary of the publisher’s fact check 

Source: Google Search

Within Google News 

These Fact Checks can be found in a couple of different places within Google News. You can find articles with fact checks by news publishers, along with a full section dedicated to Fact Check news: 

• “Top stories” articles have a "Fact check" label. 

• Dedicated "Fact check" section. 

• On a computer: A "Fact check" card on Google News is available is some countries. 

Source: Google News

Within Google Images (Top Level): 

• A "Fact Check" label on the thumbnail 

• The name of the domain doing the fact check 

Within images hosted on Google Images: 

• The claim itself 

• The name of the publisher doing the fact check 

• A summary of the publisher's fact check  

Source: Google

How Does Google Determine a Fact Check?