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Google is now embarking on preservation efforts as they’ll be adding links to archived websites through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machines.
The search giant began the process on Wednesday (September 11) with users now able to view archived versions of webpages directly through Google Search, rather than having to go to a separate website or tool.
The Internet Archive was founded in 1996 and it provides a digital library, with free access to collections of digitized materials including websites and software applications. The Wayback Machine has billions of archived web pages, with the team eager to ensure that the digital record remains accessible for future generations.
“Google Search is now making it easier than ever to access the past,” wrote the Internet Archive team on the company blog.
Mark Graham, the director of the Wayback Machine, explains why this is a major move in the commitment to preservation:
“The web is aging, and with it, countless URLs now lead to digital ghosts. Businesses fold, governments shift, disasters strike, and content management systems evolve—all erasing swaths of online history.
“Sometimes, creators themselves hit delete, or bow to political pressure. Enter the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine: for more than 25 years, it’s been preserving snapshots of the public web.
“This digital time capsule transforms our “now-only” browsing into a journey through internet history. And now, it’s just a click away from Google search results, opening a portal to a fuller, richer web—one that remembers what others have forgotten.”
This change to Google Search is one of the latest since the technology giant announced it would now show AI-generated answers in its results.
How Google Search’s ‘Wayback’ works
To use the feature, a user must simply begin on the Google homepage and write in their search as usual. Next to each search result, there are three dots which when clicked on will bring up an ‘About this Result’ panel.
In the panel, users must then select ‘More About This Page’ which will reveal a link to the Wayback Machine for that website.
The direct link will take people to see all previous versions of the webpage through the Wayback Machine, offering a snapshot of how it appeared at numerous different points in time.
Featured Image: Via Ideogram
