As part of its XNUMXth anniversary, Google News has officially launched a redesign with a greater focus on accessibility and customization.
Google says the redesign (opens in a new tab) "was inspired by the feedback [they] received from readers," as the desktop site aims to make it easier to catch up on news. Top stories will have a larger thumbnail and attached articles next to them for different types of coverage.
The new Google News (Image credit: Google)
Reorganized sections
Right after you open Google News on desktop, you'll get the best stories of the day with a local news section (no longer hidden behind menus) and personalized selections on the right. You can add multiple locations to your local news if coverage in one city isn't enough for you. And the menu bar that used to be on the left side is now moved to the top of the page.
As you scroll through the opening sections, you'll come across Your Topics, which are six different categories that you can select from a selection of eight. These include technology, entertainment, business, and sports.
After that, you have what is arguably the biggest change: the new Fact Check section. Previously, stories under Fact Check were relegated to just being a fact-checking organization like PolitiFact. Now the titles will come with a claim that has been verified. For example, it could be claimed that President Joe Biden vetoed a certain bill. Alongside that, you can see a PolitiFact fact check indicating that the claim is true, false, or even tampered with.
Below is the Beyond the Home Page section for more offbeat stories and even in-depth articles from tech companies.
The renewal is live now and will be "available in more than 125 countries and 40 languages," including a return to Spain (opens in a new tab) that Google News hasn't had for about eight years. Google claims this was due to copyright law that prevented them from operating there, but the law has since changed.
You can go to Google News right now and click "Try it out" at the top to upgrade to the new design. To go back to the old style, open the Settings menu and uncheck the box next to "Start using the new Google News."
Analysis: messy appearance
It's hard to say whether or not people will like the redesign. The new Google News has been in the works since May, when some people discovered it by chance. Initially, not everyone accepted the redesign. Some found it too designed with headlines too big.
Google News is more like a newspaper now with headlines and images in a small space. Despite a cluttered appearance, some may appreciate the focus on local news and renewed fact-checking. After all, misinformation is still a hot topic.
Speaking of fake news, Google recently banned deepfake projects from its Collaboratory service. Despite our investigation, no one knows exactly why Google made the decision.
