Google unveils new user controls for Search, Discover, News

Image credit: Abondance

Google announced new features across its Search, Discover and News platforms Tuesday, giving users enhanced control over their content experience.

These updates allow users to customize their feeds with preferred sources, natural language queries and personalized audio briefings.

A new “Preferred Sources” button enables users to designate specific websites as preferred content providers with a single click. Google reported more than 600,000 sources have already been selected by users.

Publishers can integrate this “Preferred Sources” button directly onto their webpages, a move designed to help them build audience loyalty across various Google products.

The Discover feed will soon support natural language queries, allowing users to refine content suggestions with specific phrases such as “more eco-friendly kitchen renovations” or “weekend road trip videos without camping.”

Google News on Android is also introducing customizable daily audio briefings. These briefings are organized by theme and include clear source attribution, along with links to the full articles for further reading.

These developments are part of an ongoing artificial intelligence pilot program focused on news content, which involves collaboration with a wide array of publisher partners.

Source: Abondance