Google tests 'Preferred Sources' to personalize Top Stories in Search
The goal is to give users more control over the news they see in Search
Google is testing a new feature called ‘Preferred Sources’ that lets users select and follow their favorite news sources directly in Search. The update allows users to choose trusted sites to prioritize in Search’s Top Stories section.
Preferred Sources is currently limited to Search Labs users in the U.S. and India who are using the English version of Google Search.
How users can use Preferred Sources in Search
Eligible users will now see a small star icon next to the Top Stories header on the search results page. Tapping the star lets users pick specific publishers they want to follow, as long as those publishers are consistently publishing new content.
Once set up, updates from those selected sources will start to appear more frequently in the Top Stories carousel whenever they’re relevant to a search. Google says these sources won’t replace the usual Top Stories results, but they’ll be clearly marked and added to the list.