Google has promised to alter its search results to punish websites promoting extreme views, conspiracy theories and fake news.

The internet giant said it would demote “low-quality” websites and let users report offensive results after criticism that neo-Nazi groups and hoaxers were “gaming” the company’s search engine.

Google has been under mounting pressure in recent months for appearing to promote fake news and conspiracy theories in search results.

The company’s search engine, which is driven by computer algorithms, has often struggled to differentiate between reputable sources and unsavoury websites, leading it to include extreme viewpoints or lies in its results.