Overview

• Google began rolling out Preferred Sources on August 12 after testing it in Google Labs, and selections from the June trial carry over automatically for users in the U.S. and India.
• Users tap a star icon beside the Top Stories header, search for and select their favorite news sites, then refresh results to see those outlets featured more prominently or in a dedicated “From your sources” section.
• Google says non-preferred sites will remain in Top Stories, ensuring a mix of outlets even as self-selected sources gain priority.
• Publishers receive a dedicated help center and promotional tools to encourage readers to add their sites, aiming to recapture clicks lost to AI summaries and low-quality results.
• Journalists and analysts warn that prioritizing only user-chosen outlets risks reinforcing information bubbles by reducing exposure to diverse perspectives.