Google will let you hide sponsored results in search — after you’ve seen them

Google is rolling out an update to its search results that will make sponsored or paid results more prominent. The changes include grouping all sponsored results at the top of the page under a single, larger "sponsored" label, and adding a button to hide the sponsored section. However, users will still have to scroll past the sponsored results before they can hide them. The update is part of Google's ongoing efforts to make its paid search results look more like organic results, which has drawn criticism over the years. Google claims the changes are aimed at making "navigation even easier," but a cynical perspective suggests the company is unlikely to jeopardize its lucrative advertising business by allowing users to hide sponsored results before seeing them. Overall, the summary covers the key points of the article, including the changes to the sponsored results section, Google's stated rationale, and the potential for the update to be viewed as a way to maintain the prominence of paid results.