This year, Google has rolled out a large number of features for combating the spread of misinformation related to Covid-19 on its platform. The company has rolled out a new website and has also made it easier for netizens to search for Covid-19 related information on its platforms. Now, Google has also rolled out a new feature which will strengthen these efforts.
Google recently announced that it will launch a new feature on Search which will surface a list of authorized vaccines in their location and also information panels on each individual vaccine when people search for information related Covid-19 vaccines. The company has released this feature in United Kingdom. Google also said that because other health authorities has started to authorize vaccines, it will release the new feature in more countries.
Google also added that since its launch in March 2020, the Covid-19 information panels on YouTube have been viewed 400 billion times. The panels have been featured on YouTube homepage and on videos and in search results regarding the pandemic. Updates to the panels can also directly connect people to vaccine information from global and local health authorities. Google announced that it is supporting YouTube creators by connecting them with leading health experts for making helpful and engaging content for their audiences regarding Covid-19 and vaccines.
The company noted that since the starting of the pandemic, it has provided $250 million in Ad Grants for helping more than 100 government agencies around the world to run critical public service announcements related to Covid-19. The publications that received these grants can use the funds throughout 2021 which includes for vaccine education and outreach campaigns and they have also announced an additional $15 million in Ad Grants to the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist their global campaign.