- Google is testing “Preferred Sources” in Search Labs
- Users star outlets to boost their presence in the Top Stories carousel
- Rollout targets English searches in the US and India
Google has introduced a “Preferred Sources” feature in Search, allowing users to boost the visibility of news outlets they trust in the Top Stories carousel.
The tool, now in Search Labs testing, adds a star icon beside the Top Stories header, enabling users to search for and add any number of outlets they want to see more often. It is being rolled out for English-language searches in the US and India, with preferences from Google’s June experiment carrying over for those participants.
Alongside the main carousel, some users will see a “From your sources” mini-carousel. Google says the change personalises news results while maintaining automated ranking based on relevance, freshness, prominence, location and authoritativeness. The company stresses that political leaning and commercial relationships do not influence rankings.
For publishers, the update presents both opportunity and uncertainty. Loyal readers who “star” a site could increase referral traffic when searching for breaking news, but Google has not disclosed how much influence user preferences have over the algorithm.
Preferred Sources does not override the core ranking signals, and Top Stories only appears for timely queries. Critics warn that increased personalisation could entrench filter bubbles or reinforce the dominance of large, already trusted outlets.
Industry analysts suggest newsrooms should act quickly to brief loyal audiences on how to add their publication as a preferred source. Publishing promptly on breaking events, highlighting authoritativeness through clear bylines and metadata, and using newsletters and social posts to encourage readers to engage with the new feature could help convert existing loyalty into more consistent search visibility.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.hdblog.it/google/articoli/n628256/google-notizie-principali-arrivano-fonti-preferite/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.google.com/intl/en/search/howsearchworks/how-news-works/ – Google’s ‘How news works’ page explains how the company organises and presents news across Search, News and related products. It describes automated systems that analyse thousands of articles to identify timely topics and surface ‘Top stories’ based on relevance, freshness, prominence, location and authoritativeness. The page emphasises efforts to elevate trustworthy reporting and to avoid ranking content by political leaning or commercial relationships. It outlines signals used by algorithms and clarifies which personal data may influence personalised experiences such as Discover. The resource summarises programmes supporting publishers, and explains that Top stories are designed to provide diverse perspectives and context.
- https://www.theverge.com/news/757979/google-search-preferred-sources-launch-top-stories – Article explains Google’s new ‘Preferred Sources’ feature that lets users choose outlets to prioritise within Search’s Top Stories. It notes Google began testing the functionality in June and is rolling it out to English-language users in the United States and India. Users can tap a star icon beside Top Stories to select sources and may see a dedicated ‘From your sources’ section. The Verge contrasts this move with Google’s AI-driven Search changes, saying the feature emphasises traditional newsrooms and user control. It reports Google’s claim that click volume remained stable during AI experiments and selections from testers will carry over.
- https://blog.google/products/search/preferred-sources/ – Google’s blog announces the Preferred Sources feature for Search, explaining how users select favourite websites to appear more often within Top Stories. It describes the star icon beside Top Stories, how to search for and add sources, refresh results, and chosen outlets surface more prominently. The post confirms the rollout for English searches in the United States and India and says selections made during Search Labs testing will carry over. Publishers are encouraged to instruct readers how to add their preferred sources. Google frames the feature as a way for people to customise their Search news experience and see news.
- https://searchengineland.com/google-search-tests-preferred-sources-for-top-stories-457640 – Search Engine Land reported in June that Google was testing a Search Labs feature named ‘Preferred Sources’ which allowed users to ‘star’ outlets in the Top Stories section so Google would show more stories from those starred sources. The piece explained the opt-in nature of the experiment, noted availability only in English in the United States and India at the time, and described how clicking a star icon beside Top Stories opens controls to add preferred publishers. The article suggested publishers might encourage loyal readers to star their site to increase traffic, and included Google’s description of the feature’s behaviour.
- https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/googles-new-feature-lets-you-customize-search-to-show-sites-you-trust-how-to-use-preferred-sources – Tom’s Guide explains how to use Google’s Preferred Sources in Search. It tells readers to look for a star icon beside the Top Stories header on news queries, tap it, search for trusted publications and add them. Results should be refreshed to show changes. The article notes the feature is rolling out in English in the United States and India and that Top Stories only appear for timely news queries. Adding preferred sources increases the chance of seeing articles from chosen outlets when they publish relevant content, helping users prioritise trusted reporting in their search results and personalise their experience.
- https://9to5google.com/2025/08/12/google-search-preferred-sources/ – 9to5Google reported the Preferred Sources feature rollout, noting it followed testing in June and targets English searches in the United States and India. The piece describes how the Top Stories carousel will prioritise articles from selected outlets when those sources publish fresh, relevant content, and mentions a star badge on cards and a ‘From your sources’ mini-carousel. It outlines steps for adding sources on mobile and desktop, and quotes Google saying users can add unlimited sources and that selections from Search Labs will carry over. The report highlights the potential for publishers to gain referral traffic when followers prioritise them.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
✅ The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being August 12, 2025. ([blog.google](https://blog.google/products/search/preferred-sources/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
✅ No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, indicating potential originality or exclusivity.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
⚠️ The narrative originates from hdblog.it, an Italian technology blog. While it provides detailed information, its credibility is uncertain due to limited verifiability.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
✅ The claims about Google’s ‘Preferred Sources’ feature align with recent reports from reputable sources, such as Google’s official blog and major tech news outlets. ([blog.google](https://blog.google/products/search/preferred-sources/?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
⚠️ The narrative presents fresh information about Google’s ‘Preferred Sources’ feature. However, its origin from hdblog.it, a source with uncertain credibility, and the lack of direct quotes raise concerns about its reliability. Further verification from more reputable sources is recommended.
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