[REVISION HISTORY]

Google search and news personalization updates

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-24 08:46 UTC → 2026-08-24 09:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Google has introduced several personalization features across its Search, Discover, and Google News platforms to increase user control and assist publishers in mitigating traffic losses caused by AI-driven search results. A primary update is the “Preferred Sources” feature, which allows users to mark specific publishers as favorites. This action increases a site’s visibility in Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. Google reports that users are twice as likely to click links from their preferred sources, noting that over 600,000 unique sources have already been selected. To facilitate this, publishers can now embed a “Preferred Sources” button directly on their websites, allowing readers to select a publication as a favorite with a single tap. This feature is initially rolling out to users in the United ~~States.~~ States, with a gradual global deployment expected to follow. Additionally, the Google Discover feed is being enhanced with a conversational AI interface, powered by the Gemini chatbot. This enables users to use natural language to specify topics or links they wish to see more or less of. This text-based interface allows users to describe specific content types, with the AI adjusting the feed in real time and retaining those preferences for future visits. Users also have access to more granular control over content suggestions via the Discover menu. For Google News on Android, users can now curate daily audio briefings by selecting specific topics, providing clear source attribution and links to full articles.

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