Brave Browser: Tune Search Results with Upvotes & Downvotes

Brave Search Introduces User-Driven Result Tuning with 'Rerank'

Brave Search announced on Thursday the implementation of a new functionality known as Rerank. This feature empowers users to personalize their search experience through direct feedback on websites.

Available to all users, the Rerank tool is located on the upper right portion of the search results page. Users can easily indicate their preference for a domain by utilizing the thumbs-up or thumbs-down icons to “raise” or “discard” it, respectively.

How Rerank Impacts Search Results

Brave Search will subsequently adjust search rankings. Results originating from upvoted websites will be given higher priority, while those from downvoted sites will be de-emphasized.

Furthermore, Brave’s AI-powered answers feature will integrate this user feedback. The system will consider these adjustments when summarizing answers and sourcing information.

The company asserts that Rerank moves away from the standardized approach common in many search engines.

brave will allow you to tune search results with upvotes and downvotes

“Rerank provides users with a straightforward method to tailor search results to their individual preferences, offering explicit control,” stated Arjaldo Karaj, VP for Search at Brave. “Unlike opaque personalization driven by unknown algorithms, Rerank places the user firmly in control of their search experience.”

Building on Existing Features: Goggles

Brave initially launched Goggles in 2022. This feature allowed filtering of search results using predefined criteria, such as political leaning (“News from the left,” “News from the right”) or content type (“Tech blogs”).

Developers have since created custom Goggles available through a dedicated marketplace.

Brave clarifies that Rerank is built upon the Goggles infrastructure, rather than replacing it, and aims to simplify the personalization process.

Comparison to Google’s Search Options

Currently, Google allows users to limit searches to a specific website by employing the “Site:xyz.com” operator in their queries. Brave’s new Rerank feature offers a comparable benefit, enabling users to prioritize preferred sources for particular subjects.