Alphabet’s Google is currently testing a feature that displays check marks next to select companies in its search results, according to a spokesperson. This initiative aims to help users easily identify verified sources and avoid fraudulent websites that may impersonate legitimate businesses.
Such deceptive sites can appear in search results, potentially leading users to encounter false information and damaging the brands they mimic. The spokesperson stated, “We regularly experiment with features that help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online, and we are currently running a small experiment showing checkmarks next to certain businesses on Google.”
Google already employs automated systems to detect and filter out pages with “scammy” or fraudulent content, reducing their visibility in search results. Currently, the check mark feature is only visible to a limited number of users, indicating that Google has not yet conducted a wide-scale rollout of the test.
