Google is taking action to address the issue of deepfakes in its search results. The company has implemented updates to its ranking system to ensure that deepfake content does not rank highly in Google Search. Additionally, Google is making it easier for users to remove deepfakes from search results.
To combat the spread of explicit fake content, Google has rolled out ranking updates that will lower the visibility of such content in search results. When searching for people’s names, Google will prioritize surfacing high-quality, non-explicit content like relevant news articles. These changes have already resulted in a 70% improvement in this area.
Differentiating between real and consensual explicit content and deepfakes is a challenging task, but Google is continuously working on improving its ability to surface legitimate content and downrank explicit fake content. By detecting patterns among sites and considering the removals of fake explicit imagery, Google can identify low-quality sites and adjust their rankings accordingly.
In terms of removing deepfakes, Google has improved the process. When an individual successfully requests the removal of explicit non-consensual fake content featuring them, Google’s systems will aim to filter all explicit results on similar searches about them. Additionally, Google will scan for and remove any duplicates of the removed image from its index.
In addition to addressing deepfakes, Google has expanded its “About this image” feature to Circle to Search and Google Lens. This feature provides users with more context on images they come across. It shows when the image and similar images were first indexed by Google, where the image may have appeared first, and where else the image can be seen, such as on news or social sites.
“About this image” also provides information on how other sites use and describe the image, as well as metadata that gives more information about the image’s creator and how it was created. It can even identify if the image was generated using AI, thanks to Google DeepMind’s SynthID watermark.
The “About this image” feature is available in 40 languages globally and is rolling out on select Android devices for Circle to Search and Google Lens.
Overall, Google’s enhancements to its search algorithms and the expansion of the “About this image” feature demonstrate the company’s commitment to providing users with accurate and reliable information while combating the spread of deepfakes and explicit fake content. These updates aim to improve the search experience and ensure that users have access to high-quality, legitimate content.
