Google Deprecates Support For Social Profile Markup For Knowledge Panels

Google announced yesterday on Twitter that they have deprecated support for social profile markup specifically for the knowledge panels. Instead Google said you can either claim your knowledge panel and/or let Google figure it out without the markup.

If you visit the Google docs on social profile it says in red at the top “Social profile markup for Google knowledge panels is deprecated. We now automatically discover social profiles to include in Google knowledge panels. If you’re verified as an official representative, you can suggest a change directly. Learn more at Update your Google knowledge panel.”

Here is Google’s announcement:

Social profile markup for Knowledge Panels is now deprecated. We now automatically discover profiles to include. Those who have claimed Knowledge Panels can also suggest any profiles not included. Learn more here: https://t.co/OgXAs8zsxy

— Google Webmasters (@googlewmc) June 25, 2019

Google added knowledge panel verification in June of last year.

I assume spammers took advantage of the markup and Google decided to do away with it?