Google to launch knowledge sharing tool

14th December 2007

Google is launching a new user-generated tool to provide expertise on a variety of topics.

Entitled a knol, the search engine is inviting web users to share knowledge by writing authoritative articles on the subject areas they know most about.

According to the company press release, a knol is something that an individual searching for the subject for the first time would want to read.

It also intends to encourage standards of authorship, as Google claims the internet does not place enough emphasis on this.

"There are millions of people who possess useful knowledge that they would love to share and there are billions of people who can benefit from it," states the company's press release."

In the style of wikipedia, the tool will enable users to add comments, questions and additional content.

Online intelligence service Hitwise announced recently that Google conducted 64 per cent of all searches in the US during October, a six per cent increase on the previous year.