Online fraud and misinformation has been rampant for decades, so it should come as no surprise that Google is taking steps to help users separate the wheat from the chaff. The tech company has quietly begun testing a new feature that could change the way we interact with search results: verified checkmarks.
In Google’s latest experiment to boost user confidence in search results, the blue verified checkmarks are appearing next to business links, indicating that the company – be it Meta, Apple, or any other big name – is indeed the real deal.
Google’s spokesperson, Molly Shaheen, explained to The Verge that the feature will help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online. When users hover over a checkmark, they’ll see the message: “Google’s signals suggest that this business is the business that it says it is.”
Before you rush to check your search results, keep in mind that this feature is still in its experimental phase. The checkmarks are only visible to a select group of users, and even then, they may disappear when switching Google accounts. Google seems to be treading carefully, likely gathering data on user interactions and feedback before considering a wider rollout.
This new search experiment seems to be an extension of Google’s Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature, which already displays checkmarks in Gmail for verified senders. By bringing this concept to search results, Google plans to create a more cohesive and trustworthy online experience across its platforms.
Verified checkmarks have become the internet standard of verifying an account’s authenticity on social media platforms, most famously on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. This system began on Twitter in 2009 after a lawsuit involving Tony La Russa, a former Major League Baseball manager, who sued the platform for allowing an impersonator to use his name.
In response, Twitter introduced the blue checkmark to verify the identities of public figures and protect them from being impersonated. Originally, verified badges were exclusive to high-profile figures in entertainment, sports, journalism, politics, and other major fields.
Over time, platforms expanded verification to include journalists, activists, and even companies or public service entities. However, after Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022, the platform overhauled its verification system by making the blue checkmark available to anyone willing to pay for Twitter Blue.
