Google adds website blocking to search

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Google has added a feature to search allowing users to block websites from results.

All users need to do is click a link next to cached in Google after clicking through to any site and confirm they want to block it from future results.

For the blocking to work, users will need to be signed in as the blocked domains are connected with their Google Account.

A new settings page has been added to assist in managing blocked sites, where it is possible to unblock domains.

When in search, Google will alert the user when pages have been prevented from appearing.

“We’re adding this feature because we believe giving you control over the results you find will provide an even more personalised and enjoyable experience on Google,” the search giant said in a blog post.

“In addition, while we’re not currently using the domains people block as a signal in ranking, we’ll look at the data and see whether it would be useful as we continue to evaluate and improve our search results in the future.”

The feature is available now in English for Chrome 9 or above, Internet Explorer versions 8 and 9, and Firefox 3.5 or above.

Google said it would be bringing the feature to more browsers and other languages soon.

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