Brave Search have launched a new feature that enables users to apply custom filters that alter the way search results are ranked. Dubbed “Goggles“, this newly introduced feature essentially act as a custom re-ranking on top of the Brave search index.
What does this mean for users?
With the help of Goggles, Brave Search can offer an almost limitless number of ranking options.
As said by Brave:
“While Brave Search does not have editorial biases, all search engines have some level of intrinsic bias due to data and algorithmic choices. Goggles allows users to counter any intrinsic biases in the algorithm. Goggles also empowers anyone to create specific search use-cases that are too niche to be properly covered by an all-purpose search engine.”
How to use Goggles
To use Brave’s new Goggles feature, all you need to do is navigate to the Goggles tab, follow the existing Goggles, and then apply them to your queries. Additionally, you can discover available Googles on the Discovery page.
Goggles that you follow will be added to your browsers local storage – meaning that they are privately applied only when used with a query.
Create your own Goggles
To create your own Goggles, all you need to do is:
- Read the getting started guide
- Host them on GitHub, Gist, or GitLab
- Submit your Goggles using their URLs
They will then be fetched, validated, and cached by Brave Search, and ready for you to use.
Goggles is in Beta for the time being. According to Brave, this new feature represents a fundamental push towards algorithmic transparency and openness in search.
