Google Search tests blue verified checkmarks for legitimate websites

Google Search's blue verified checkmark will help users differentiate legitimate websites from fraudulent ones. The company rolled out a similar feature for Gmail last year.

Google is adding a new feature to Google Search to help users avoid fraudulent sites. The company will soon put blue verified checkmarks in Google Search to show a company is legitimate. This will help users avoid fraudulent sites that mimic real businesses. The feature was long overdue and there were many incidents in the past where individuals have contacted scammers while trying to contact customer service.

Google Search blue verified checkmarks

The Verge reported that official site links for big companies like Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon are now showing checkmarks on Google. However, not all users can see these checks as Google is still testing the feature. 

A Google spokesperson mentioned that they are experimenting with features to help users identify trustworthy businesses online. When you hover over a checkmark, a message pops up explaining that it indicates Google's signals suggest the business is legitimate, but Google can't guarantee its reliability. 

How does this feature work?

This seems to be based on Google's Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature, which initially appeared for Gmail, adding verified logos for emails from participating companies. Although the Search tests' implementation is different, it may draw from the same database of organisations.

In other news, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is getting ready to launch a new system to combat cyber fraud involving voice spoofing. This central system aims to effectively block calls made using altered voices. There has been a recent increase in cyber fraud cases where individuals are tricked through voice manipulation.

In a tragic incident, a government school teacher named Malti Verma from Agra passed away after enduring a four-hour digital extortion attempt. The event occurred in Shahganj Albatiya when an individual, pretending to be a police inspector during a WhatsApp call, falsely claimed that Verma's daughter was involved in a sex racket. He demanded Rs 1 lakh to secure her release.

In response to these incidents, the Department of Telecommunications has announced the upcoming implementation of an advanced system to tackle fraudulent calls using voice alteration.

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