Google News Celebrates 20th Anniversary With a Redesign

pcmag.com:

Google News is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a redesigned desktop experience.

Google says(Opens in a new window) it's "focused on strengthening access to local news, providing access to a diverse range of sources, and addressing misinformation while protecting the open web" with the redesigned version of Google News that is starting to roll out to existing users now.

"Our new look for Google News(Opens in a new window) on desktop was inspired by feedback we received from readers," the company says. "We’ve made it easier for you to catch up on the most important news by bringing Top stories, Local news and personalized picks for you to the top of the page."

Google has also made it easier to decide what topics should appear on Google News, and in what order, so users will no longer have to scroll past a bunch of Sports articles to find new Health articles. That change alone could make Google News more usable for many people.

The redesigned Google News also features an expanded Fact Check section to help users be more informed. "In addition to headlines," Google says, "you’ll now see the original claim made along with the fact-checked assessment from independent organizations."

Google says that it's also planning to "invest in a local news advertising campaign placed with local outlets," partner with additional publishers via the Google News Initiative(Opens in a new window), and restore access to the service in Spain for the first time in eight years due to new copyright laws.

"At Google, we’re committed to work with publishers, governments and civil society to build a future of news that meets the new ways people look for and consume news," the company says. "Here’s to the next 20 years."

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