Google warns against fake author profiles in its guidance

Google added a paragraph to its “Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content” page, in the version dated 1 October 2026. It follows the page’s advice to add accurate authorship information, and it was reported by Search Engine Journal on 2 October 2026.

What does the new paragraph say?#

Google’s page reads: “However, avoid using deceptive authorship information. Fabricating creator profiles (such as by using AI-generated headshots, made-up names, or false credentials to make content appear as if it was written by human experts) is a form of deception.”

It continues that any form of deception makes a page untrustworthy to both users and its automated quality systems, and is a signal of a low-quality page. Search Engine Journal reports that a copy of the page saved on 8 June has no such paragraph.

Is this new for raters?#

Not in substance. Search Engine Journal says section 4.5.3 of the rater guidelines already treats fake creator profiles, AI-generated author images and false claims of expertise as deception, and tells raters to give such pages the Lowest rating. What changed is that the same idea now appears in guidance written for site owners.

What does it not say?#

The paragraph does not say how Google’s automated systems would identify a fabricated profile. Search Engine Journal also points out that the same page says raters have no control over rankings, while the new text refers to automated quality systems.

It does not say bylines help rankings either. Search Engine Journal recalls that Google’s Search Liaison account said in January 2024 that bylines do not help pages rank better. The page still encourages accurate bylines where readers expect them.

What should you check on bylines?#

Read the paragraph as a checklist for the “Who” part of a page. These are our reading of the guidance, not Google instructions:

• Is the name on the byline a real person who wrote or stands behind the piece?
• Is the photo of that person, rather than an AI-generated headshot?
• Do the credentials in the bio match what the author actually holds?

Search Engine Journal makes the same point: author pages and bylines are where a name, photo or credential could create a false impression of human expertise.

The same page also gained a main content section, and Google updated its generative AI content guidance in the same window. For the wider topic, see our content strategy hub.