Fighting Covid-19: Google Reveals How It is Tackling Misinformation Around Coronavirus in India

New Delhi: Ever since the coronavirus outbreak in India, there has been a lot of negative and fake information flying around, which can be detrimental to the the fight against the pandemic. To tackle the same, 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. Also Read – ‘Thank You’: Google Pays Tribute to Doctors, Nurses & Medical Workers With Animated Doodle

In a blog, Google India said that it has ramped up actions to help bring authoritative and reliable information to people, and provide features across its products that can be helpful during these trying times. Here are those:

Latest updates & advice on Covid-19

Google will now display the latest updates and health advice on COVID-19, from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and international health authorities.

For instance, if you search for the term “Coronavirus”, the Search engine will take you to a dedicated page with concise information on the disease, including news reports, diagnosis information such as symptoms and treatments.

Google will also quickly take down all reported videos from YouTube, that violate guidelines or aim to spread misinformation related to the disease. The COVID-19 India website will also be made available in other Indian languages.

A dedicated website on Covi-19 and ‘Coronavirus News Shelf’ on YouTube launched

Further, Google has also launched a website dedicated to coronavirus updates in India, which will display authoritative information and locally relevant details about the pandemic from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

YouTube and Search are showing consolidated information including the top news stories, links to MoHFW resources, and other authoritative content on symptoms, prevention, and treatments, Google said.

YouTube has additionally also launched a ‘Coronavirus News Shelf,’ featured atop the homepage, that provides the latest news from authoritative media outlets regarding the outbreak.

Assistance to migrant workers

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.

To help workers with low-end 2G feature phones, Google tied up with Vodafone-Idea and the subscribers just have to call toll-free number 000-800- 9191-000 to get food and night shelters’ details.

The information can be accessed both in Hindi and English.Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday, too stated that one could use Google Maps, Search and Google Assistant for the same.

‘Nearby spot’ feature to help users

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.