Google has introduced its “About this image” feature to users worldwide, aiming to provide transparency and context for online images, enabling users to distinguish between real and AI-generated images. The company officially rolled out the feature to English users globally on Wednesday, following its announcement at the Google I/O developer conference in May.
How to access Google’s About This Image Tool?
The “About this image” tool can be accessed through the three-dot menu in Google Search and Google Images results, offering users an opportunity to verify the credibility and content of the images they encounter online. However, as of the time of writing, the feature wasn’t accessible for independent verification.
The “About this image” tool, as outlined by Google, serves to illuminate the origins of an image, incorporating metadata when accessible, and delivering valuable contextual information regarding how news outlets and fact-checking websites have characterized it over time. It empowers users to trace an image back to its initial appearance on Google Search and ascertain whether it was generated by artificial intelligence, effectively enhancing transparency in an era where realistic but often manipulated images perpetuate misinformation and disinformation.
The proliferation of unrelated or out-of-context images on social media platforms is a common issue, and even authentic images and videos can be flagged erroneously. Google’s “About This Image” tool aims to empower online users to ascertain the authenticity of images they encounter.
However, there is a caveat. The tool relies on users actively verifying image sources, and given the potential for misleading images to go viral on social media, its effectiveness may be limited in some cases.
Google plans to expand access to the “About this image” feature by integrating it with Google Lens, enabling users to right-click or long-press images in Chrome and swipe up on images in the Google App to access more information. These additional access options are currently in development and testing and are expected to be rolled out in the coming months, as reported by The Verge, citing a Google spokesperson.
In addition to the “About this image” feature, Google has also announced a beta version of Image Search Functionality in the FactCheck Claim Search API. Approved journalists and fact-checkers will soon be able to search the fact-check image corpus on Fact Check Explorer via an API, integrating this knowledge into their solutions.
Furthermore, the company is experimenting with generative AI to enhance the information available about online sources through its AI-powered Search Generative Experience. This initiative aims to bridge information gaps when existing sources may fall short.
Google’s “About this image” feature represents a significant step toward addressing image-related misinformation and disinformation on the internet, offering users valuable tools to discern the authenticity and credibility of the images they encounter online.
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