Google has been on a constant lookout for any content that imparts misinformation around the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Following these lines, the company has now used its Artificial Intelligence-based technology to remove thousands of videos related to dangerous or misleading coronavirus information from its video streaming platform YouTube.
The announcement was made by none other than Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai through a recent blog post. The post summarises the steps being taken by Google in such difficult times to take care of its global community.
In addition to removing the above mentioned videos, Google continues to ¡°remove videos that promote medically unproven methods to prevent coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment.¡± The efforts extend to other Google platforms as well, including Google Maps and developer platforms like Play, and Google ads.
On Google Maps, for instance, the company is tackling ¡°fake reviews and misleading information about healthcare locations.¡± Google Ads on the other hand, has had a long standing policy that prohibits advertising that may try to capitalize on tragic events such as a natural disaster, conflict or death.
Pichai also mentions Google¡¯s ongoing efforts with the U.S. government to develop a website dedicated to COVID-19 education, prevention, and local resources nationwide. US President Donald Trump has also mentioned the upcoming website time and again in his public addresses.
Google¡¯s subsidiary Verily is also acitvely involved in these efforts, helping to establish testing sites and an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19. Google¡¯s philanthropic arm Google.org also committed $50 million to the global COVID-19 response, focusing on health and science, access to educational resources and small business support.
Google is not the only one fighting this battle against misinformation on Coronavirus or aiding the relief efforts against it. Microsoft, among one of its steps, launched a COVID-19 tracker website recently that illustrates the regional count of those affected across the globe. Facebook also announced its efforts to find and remove any misinformation on the virus outbreak on its own platform.