The tech giant is giving news readers more say in the stories they see and from where they see them. Now live for all English-language users in the US and India, the update introduces a small star icon next to the Top Stories section in Google Search. By clicking the star, users can select their go-to news sites or blogs. From then on, stories from these sources will appear more often in Top Stories, and in some cases, a dedicated “From your sources” section will show up just below.

How to turn it on step by step:

1.     First, search for your preferred topic or a topic that’s in the news and click on the icon to the right of Top Stories.

2.     After doing so, a pop-up window titled Preferred Sources will appear. Search and select your preferred sources.

3.     To see more from your favorite sites, refresh your results.

Google first tested this as a limited experiment in its Search Labs program, where users had to opt in. During the trial, more than half of participants chose at least four preferred outlets, indicating a strong appetite for curated news feeds.

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For many, this could mean less time scrolling through unwanted sources and more time engaging with trusted voices. But experts are sounding a note of caution — over-reliance on preferred outlets may limit exposure to diverse perspectives, reinforcing information “bubbles.”

Google says it is aware of the risks and aims to strike a balance between personalization and variety.
“We want to help people stay informed through sources they trust, while still making sure they encounter a broad range of perspectives,” the company said in a statement.

The feature is now available to all eligible users automatically — no opt-in required. So, the next time you search for breaking news, your favorite voices might just be front and center.