Google Updates News & Discover Manual Action Policies
Google recently updated its manual action policies for News and Discover, introducing changes to tackle deceptive practices. Notable updates include removing sections on "Adult-Themed Content" and "Artificial Freshening," revising the "Hateful Content" section, and adding five new deceptive practices categories, such as misrepresentation of location, impersonation, and affiliation misrepresentation.
These changes, observed between October and November 2024, aim to enhance transparency and content quality. Publishers are encouraged to review these updates, as manual actions can severely impact site performance across Google Search, News, and Discover.