You're no longer at the mercy of the algorithm alone
For years, the invisible hand of an algorithm decided which news reached readers first — a quiet editorial power most users never questioned. Google has now offered UK audiences something modest but meaningful: the ability to name the sources they trust and see them rise to the top of their search results. It is a small redistribution of curatorial authority, arriving at a moment when the relationship between platforms, publishers, and readers is still very much being negotiated.
- Google's algorithm has long acted as an unseen editor, and UK users can now push back — selecting preferred news outlets to appear more prominently in their search results.
- The feature, already running in the US and India since last summer, introduces a starred icon beside the Top Stories box that lets users search, select, and save their favourite sources in seconds.
- A dedicated 'From your sources' carousel surfaces chosen outlets first, but Google has deliberately kept the wider mix intact so readers aren't sealed inside a single editorial world.
- The rollout is gradual, and some users may need to check their login status, update their app, or simply wait — but once configured, the preference persists silently across every device and session.
Google has handed UK users a new kind of editorial control. The company's 'preferred sources' feature — already live in the United States and India since last summer — now lets British readers decide which news outlets should rise to the top of their search results, ending the era in which the algorithm alone governed the Top Stories box.
The process is simple: sign in, search a topic with recent coverage, and click the starred icon beside the Top Stories box. From there, users can search for an outlet, select it, and reload. The choice is saved immediately and works across phones, tablets, and computers without needing to be repeated.
The visible result is a 'From your sources' carousel — a dedicated section where articles from chosen outlets appear first. Crucially, Google hasn't removed the broader mix of publishers; preferred sources simply rise higher in the rotation, offering more personalisation without sealing readers inside a single outlet.
For those who don't see the feature yet, Google advises checking login status, trying a different news topic, or updating the app — the rollout is still spreading gradually.
The change sits inside a larger, unresolved question about who should curate the news. Algorithms have long made those decisions quietly and at scale. Giving that power, even partially, to readers is a meaningful shift — though whether people use it to explore more voices or fewer remains an open and genuinely interesting question.
Google has given UK users a new lever to pull in how they consume news. The company's 'preferred sources' feature, which arrived in the United States and India last summer, is now live here, letting people decide which news outlets should bubble up more often when they search for current events. Until now, the algorithm alone decided what appeared in the Top Stories box on your results page. That's changing.
The mechanics are straightforward. Sign into your Google account, search for something with recent news coverage—type 'Arsenal' or 'The Traitors,' for instance—and a Top Stories box will appear. Next to it sits a small starred icon. Click it, search for your preferred outlet, tick the box, and reload. The system remembers your choice. You can add multiple sources, reorder them, or remove them whenever you like. Google says the change should take effect immediately, though sometimes it takes a minute or two to propagate through the system.
What actually changes on your screen is the addition of a 'From your sources' carousel—a dedicated section where articles from your chosen outlets appear first. Google is careful to note that this doesn't hide other reporting. The algorithm still shows you a mix of publishers. What preferred sources does is push your favorites higher in the rotation, giving you more control over what you see without creating a completely closed information loop.
The feature works across devices—phone, tablet, computer—and persists across sessions. Once you've set it up, you don't have to do it again. The company has built in some guardrails too. The Top Stories box only appears on searches with recent coverage, so you won't see it for every query. If the feature isn't showing up for you, Google suggests checking that you're logged in, trying a different news topic, updating the Google app, or simply waiting—the feature is rolling out gradually and may not yet be available everywhere.
This shift reflects a broader tension in how search engines and news platforms relate to each other. For years, Google's algorithm decided what was important based on factors like freshness, relevance, and authority. Users had no say. Now they do. It's a small but meaningful move toward putting readers in the driver's seat of their own information diet, though it also raises questions about whether people will use this power to broaden their sources or narrow them. Google's answer, built into the feature itself, is that both are fine—the company will show you what you ask for, but it won't let you disappear into a single outlet entirely.
Notable Quotes
Preferred sources pushes more of your favourites into view, but doesn't hide other reporting— Google (via the feature documentation)
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
So Google is letting people pick their news sources now. Why does that matter?
Because until now, you had no say. An algorithm decided what appeared in your Top Stories box based on its own logic. Now you can tell Google, 'Show me more from outlets I actually trust or care about.'
But couldn't people already just go directly to The Sun's website, or any outlet they wanted?
Sure, but most people don't work that way. They search for a topic and see what Google shows them. This feature lets you shape what Google shows without having to visit each outlet separately.
Is Google worried people will only read one outlet now?
Apparently not enough to prevent it. Google says it still shows a mix of publishers, but it's not stopping you from adding just one source if you want. The company seems to think giving people control is worth that risk.
How is this different from just bookmarking your favorite news sites?
It's integrated into search itself. When you search for news, your preferred sources get priority placement. You're not choosing to visit them—they're coming to you, in the results you already use every day.
And this is only in the UK now?
It's been in the US and India since last summer. The UK is the latest rollout. Google says it's expanding gradually, so not everyone has it yet.