Google announces steps it’s taking to help combat Covid-19 in India

Google on Monday announced a series of steps taken to bring reliable information related to Covid-19 pandemic in India and combat the spread of misinformation.

Google will now show the latest updates and health advice from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and international health authorities across Search, Maps, YouTube and the COVID-19 Spot on Google Pay, the official blog notes.

In addition to promoting authentic content, Google will also quickly remove reported videos from YouTube that violate guidelines or intend to spread misinformation related to the pandemic.

"YouTube has also launched a Coronavirus News Shelf on the YouTube Homepage, which provides the latest news from authoritative media outlets regarding the outbreak," Google said in its blog post.

"The COVID-19 India website that was launched last week collates all of this updated information, as well as live statistics, into a single, easy-to-access resource. It is available in English, Hindi and Marathi for smartphones, and in English and Hindi via Google Assistant for KaiOS feature phones. It will be rolled out soon in several other Indian languages," it added.

To assist migrant workers or those stranded in cities without a source of income or food, Google Maps, Search, and Assistant, will highlight nearby locations of food and night shelters set by the government. The information can be accessed both in Hindi and English.

Google is also rolling out the 'Nearby Spot' feature on Google Pay to help users locate essential supply stores that are currently open. The tool is accessible in Bengaluru and will be launching soon in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi.