Google alters search results to rank pirate sites lower, help users find legitimate content

LOS ANGELES - Google is altering its search results to de-emphasize the websites of repeat copyright offenders and make it easier to find legitimate providers of music, movies and other content.

The move is a peace offering to Hollywood and the music recording labels. This year, Google joined other Silicon Valley heavyweights to help kill legislation that would have given government and content creators more power to shut down foreign websites that promote piracy.

Google said in a blog post Friday that starting next week it would start using "valid copyright removal notices" to rank its search results.

Sites with high numbers of notices may appear lower in its results. In effect, that would help users find legitimate sources of content without removing any pages from its results completely.