Google Search Testing Removing “News” Filter for Some Users
Google Search, a staple for over 20 years, has temporarily removed the “News” tab for some users as part of an unannounced test of a new version of the platform. This move has caused confusion among users who are used to accessing journalistic information through the filter.
A Google spokesperson explained that the company is testing different ways to display filters in Search, leading to a small subset of users being temporarily unable to access some of them. In some cases, users were offered an AI-powered overview for their search instead of the news filter.
This test could be an indication of where Google Search is headed, with the company integrating its Gemini factual language model into more basic products. Gemini, launched earlier this month, will gradually be integrated into products like Gmail and Docs. It is likely that this integration will include replacing Google’s news filter with AI-generated content.
It remains to be seen how users will adapt to these changes and how they will impact the way news is consumed through Google Search. (With information from Gizmodo)