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March 20, 2023
3:00
How to keep using Google Maps even when your phone is offline
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These simple steps will help you keep using Google Maps offline when you don’t have an internet connection.
March 17, 2023
9:00
The U.K.’s biggest and most local publishers join Showcase
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The Daily Mail and General Trust and Independent Community News Network bring their journalism to Google News Showcase
March 16, 2023
14:00
3 questions businesses should ask when they get started with Google Ads
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Four in five small business advertisers say digital ads help them compete with larger businesses.
March 15, 2023
17:00
4 updates from the Google for Games Developer Summit
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A recap of the updates and announcements made during the Google for Games Developer Summit from Google Play, Android, Google Ads, Cloud, and more.
17:00
6 ways Google AI is helping you sleep better
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Learn how features like Sleep Profiles, Smart Wake and cough and snore detection are powered by AI to help you get better sleep.
March 14, 2023
20:00
Magniber ransomware actors used a variant of Microsoft SmartScreen bypass
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New research from Threat Analysis Group on Magniber's exploitation of Microsoft 0-day vulnerability.
17:47
Why I'm optimistic about Britain's tech future
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Debbie Weinstein, Vice President of Google and Managing Director of Google UK & Ireland, recounts her first week in her role.
17:00
Chart new growth for your games business
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New product announcements from Google Ads and AdMob at the 2023 Google for Games Developer Summit for mobile game developers.
16:00
New tools to help developers build better health apps
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Today at The Check Up, we introduced Open Health Stack, a suite of open-source building blocks to help developers build digital health apps.
16:00
Our latest health AI research updates
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At The Check Up, we shared updates on our medical LLM research, partnerships and new ways AI can help with disease detection.
16:00
New ways we’re helping people live healthier lives
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Google Health helping make people healthier, unveils new features across Search, YouTube and Fitbit as part of its annual Check Up event.
14:00
The next generation of AI for developers and Google Workspace
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Introducing new generative AI capabilities in Google Cloud and Google Workspace, plus PaLM API and MakerSuite for developers.
14:00
Electric vehicle charging stations are now on the Waze map
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Waze adds electric vehicle charging stations to the Waze map.
13:00
Building more accurate and effective greenhouse gas accounting
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We share our comments on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol update.
March 13, 2023
17:00
New for Pixel: Fall Detection, faster Night Sight and more
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The March Feature Drop for Pixel phone and Watch is here.
March 10, 2023
6:00
A call for boosting sustainable solutions in Sweden
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Technology can play an important role in helping us tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. From using AI to detect wildfires to efficiently mapping cities&…
March 09, 2023
13:00
3 Black Founders Fund recipients tell their stories
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Google for Startups Black Founders Fund recipients in Europe share application tips and program benefits.
March 08, 2023
19:45
How we created this year's I/O save the date puzzle
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It’s that time again! Google I/O is May 10, and save the dates are out — and this year, we’re giving you a look at how we made them.
18:00
New security features for all Google One plans
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Google One now includes VPN access on all plans, plus a dark web report for members in the U.S.
18:00
4 new stories of women founders on Google Play
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For International Women’s Day, our latest #WeArePlay stories feature inspirational women building apps and games.
February 02, 2023
18:05
Watch With Me on Google TV: Judd Apatow’s watchlist
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On this episode of Google TV's Watch With Me, Judd Apatow shares his favorite romantic comedies right in time for Valentine’s Day.
15:00
A partnership to help the military community find new careers
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Google partners with the Department of Labor’s Employment Navigator & Partnership Pilot to provide Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud trainings and certificatio…
February 01, 2023
22:00
It takes a village: growing together this Black History Month
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Learn more about the ways Google is partnering with industry experts all year to celebrate Black culture.
18:00
3 things to expect at the Google for Games Developer Summit
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Save the date for the virtual Google for Games Developer Summit on March 14 at 9 a.m. PT.
16:00
How we achieve privacy through innovation
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In honor of Data Privacy Day, we describe how our new Protected Computing approach technically ensures the privacy and safety of your data.
8:00
GSEC Dublin: Two years of progress on content responsibility
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A look back at two years of GSEC Dublin's engagements with civil society, researchers, academics and policymakers on content responsibility in Europe.
January 31, 2023
18:30
How to find Noto in Google Docs, Slides, Sheets and Sites
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The Noto fonts in Google Workspace now support almost all living written languages
18:00
13 tips to help you read more books this year
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Use different features from Google Books, Google Play, Android and more to read more books this year.
January 30, 2023
18:00
How AI is improving agriculture sustainability in India
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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A look at how AI can help agriculture and sustainable farming in India.
16:00
Get to know our privacy and data tools
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Learn how Ad Manager can help you deepen relationships with your audiences, create insights, and activate your data to deliver relevant ads and boost revenue.
January 27, 2023
18:00
How the Google Books team moved 90,000 books across a continent
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Google Books solved a challenging logistical journey shipping books from the National Library of Israel to Munich by sea freight.
January 26, 2023
19:00
Meet our Health Equity Research Initiative awardees
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Researchers will receive Cloud credits, funding, Fitbit devices and Fitabase to support research to addresses critical health disparities
18:00
5 tips to stay safer online with Chrome
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It’s important that you take steps to protect your online data. Use helpful Chrome tools like Privacy Guide, Safety Check and Google Password Manager.
17:00
5 tips to power your 2023 marketing strategy
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In this post we recap the top recommendations from Google Marketing Platform for marketers going into 2023.
17:00
Over 50,000 instances of DRAGONBRIDGE activity disrupted in 2022
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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An update on TAG's work to disrupt the information operation network DRAGONBRIDGE.
January 25, 2023
18:00
TAG Bulletin: Q4 2022
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Threat Analysis Group shares their Q4 bulletin.
17:00
Google Registry is collaborating with UN organizations
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Google Registry celebrates the first anniversary of .day and announces collaboration with United Nation organizations using this domain.
January 24, 2023
22:05
5 ways to bring in the Year of the Rabbit with Google
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Happy Lunar New Year! Here’s how you can use Google products to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit or Year of the Cat.
20:58
DOJ’s lawsuit ignores the enormous competition in the online advertising industry
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Picking winners and losers in the advertising technology industry will drive up prices, reduce choice and hurt America’s small businesses.
18:00
Got a new Chromebook? Try these 8 apps
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Discover some of the Chromebook team’s favorite apps for your new Chromebook.
January 20, 2023
11:13
A difficult decision to set us up for the future
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As an almost 25-year-old company, we’re bound to go through difficult economic cycles.
January 19, 2023
18:00
9 ways we use AI in our products
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Here are nine ways we use AI today to make our products even more helpful.
9:00
4 strategies to drive durable app growth in 2023
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4 strategies to help app developers and publishers to drive durable business growth in 2023.
January 18, 2023
22:00
6 Google tools I used to plan my wedding
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Try out these Google products to make wedding planning a little easier.
12:00
Publisher tips and resources for 2023
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To start the year, we’re recapping some of our latest solutions and resources to help all publishers get the most from their advertising in 2023.
July 29, 2022
18:00
This Global Tiger Day, visit tiger.day to help protect these big cats
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July 29 is Global Tiger Day, a celebration of the majestic big cats that play a critical role on our planet and serve as cultural and spiritual icons for millions of people. Tigers are influential predators, key to maintaining healthy ecosystems that supply both people and the environment with fresh water, food and health.

Global Tiger Day was founded in 2010, when 13 tiger-range countries (the countries where tigers live in the wild) came together with a goal to double the number of wild tigers in the world — perhaps the most ambitious recovery effort for a single species. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has partnered with Google Registry to launch the .day domains tiger.day and endangeredspecies.day, to drive attention to this urgent cause.

The team at WWF imagines a world where wild tigers are recovering and thriving. So, how do we get there?
- Support the Big Cat Public Safety Act. In the U.S., WWF is calling upon Congress to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act, legislation that would help monitor and regulate the thousands of captive tigers across the U.S. and help prevent them from ending up in the illegal trade in tiger parts and products. Anyone in the U.S. can show their support by contacting their representatives here.
- Report any suspected illegal wildlife products to theCoalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online. Tiger poaching and the illegal trade of live tigers remains a constant threat to the tiger population. WWF is focusing on efforts that reduce demand for tiger products.
- Become a tiger advocate. Sharing the importance of protecting tigers and their habitats with your community is an easy thing that anyone do. Consider becoming a Panda Ambassador to engage with others who are also committed to saving wildlife and the environment while supporting WWF.
After a century of decline, overall wild tiger numbers in Asia are starting to trend upward, thanks to the passionate work of many advocates. But there’s so much more to be done.

Tiger recovery is possible when governments, communities, conservation organizations and others work together. Visit tiger.day to learn how you can help protect wild tigers. Because protecting wild tigers protects so much more than just this iconic species.

Tigress and cub (Panthera tigris) in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India.

© Shutterstock / Bhasmang Mehta / WWF-International

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Today is the .day
.day, the latest top-level domain extension from Google Registry, helps you bring attention to any important day
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NativeNonprofit.day highlights Native-led organizations
The NWF has partnered with Google Registry to launch the domain NativeNonprofit.day to drive awareness for Native-led nonprofits.
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Mothers.day: Highlighting inequality in maternal health
Mothers.day is dedicated to highlighting inequities in maternal health and helping families at different stages of their parenthood journey.
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Supporting fatherhood on fathers.day
This Father’s Day, the Google Registry team is highlighting fathers.day, a fatherhood resource from the experts at Fatherly. Fatherly is using the .day top-level domain …
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9:00
These Lionesses have byte - could analytics help them lift the trophy?
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On Sunday, England will face Germany in the final act of this summer’s tournament—one that has pitted the top teams from across Europe against one another, and inspired a generation.

It will take grit, determination and a stunning backheel here or there for England to win. But technology plays a part too. The Football Association’s partnership with Google Cloud has been a vital part of the picture for the lead up to the competition, giving coaches and performance staff access to data and processing muscle that help it select the best squad available at any one time.

The FA’s Player Performance System (PPS) is a central component of Helix—an application and development suite developed by The FA. Helix has been hosted on Google Cloud for the last five years and is used by the Technical Directorate staff associated with both the England women’s and men’s football teams. It provides them with secure access to databases, processes, functions, and compute resources that analyse large volumes of data. It also integrates with visualisation tools to give coaches and performance staff multiple views of data that provides unique insights—customised to end users’ requirements.

This data can include anything from player profiles, to scouting reports, to medical information, to club and international fixtures and results. It also brings in research from metrics pulled from wearable devices, which track players’ training volume and intensity, to allow coaches to better manage their workloads. Coaches also have access to players’ sleep, nutrition, recovery, and mental health data.

“What it allows our users to do is pull together disparate information that they may not be used to seeing side-by-side. This helps us to generate new insights, and hopefully give us an edge when it comes to competitions,” said Craig Donald, CIO at The FA.

Helix provides multi-dimensional insight

Helix tracks more than 3,500 professional footballers and stores more than 22 million player data points collected from competitive games and training sessions. The platform relies on various Google Cloud tools, glued together by a complex microservice system, which is used to update the data being collected, analysed, and stored. Google Cloud Storage is also used to host The FA’s video archives of competitive games. As many as 400 games a day make their way into The FA database, each one creating up to a 5GB file size and 600MB of video tracking data.

This means the FA has faster, more convenient access to data, plus greater insight into player and team performance, which can aid in both the selection and choice of tactics in any given fixture. The additional power and capacity of the GCP hosting infrastructure helps The FA quickly and cost effectively scale up its analytics capabilities to handle additional data sets during forthcoming competitions.

It often seems in football that everybody has their own idea of the best players to pick and the tactics to adopt. But the combination of granular data metrics and cloud architecture deployed by The FA and Google Cloud might actually give a genuine expert the knowledge to back up those opinions.

But does it mean the Lionesses will win on Sunday? Tune in to find out.
10:25
5:00
TAG Bulletin: Q2 2022
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This bulletin includes coordinated influence operation campaigns terminated on our platforms in Q2 2022. It was last updated on July 29, 2022.
April
- We terminated 138 YouTube channels and 2 Ads accounts as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to a Russian consulting firm and was sharing content in Russian that was supportive of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin and critical of NATO, Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- We terminated 44 YouTube channels and 9 Ads accounts as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA) and was sharing content in Russian, French, Arabic, and Chinese that was supportive of Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea and the Wagner Group’s activity in Ukraine and Africa.
- We terminated 6 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to Russian state-sponsored entities and was sharing content in Russian that was supportive of pro-Russian activity in Ukraine and critical of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
- We terminated 3 YouTube channels and 1 AdSense account and blocked 1 domain from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Slovakia and Germany. The campaign was sharing content in Slovak that was supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s claimed justifications for its invasion of Ukraine. We received leads from Mandiant that supported us in this investigation.
- We terminated 37 YouTube accounts and 1 Ads account and blocked 2 domains from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Costa Rica. The campaign was linked to Noelix Media and was sharing content in Spanish that was critical of Costa Rican and Salvadoran politicians and political parties. Our findings are similar to findings reported by Meta.
- We terminated 1,546 YouTube channels as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.
May
- We terminated 20 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to a Russian consulting firm and was sharing content in Russian that was supportive of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin and critical of NATO, Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- We terminated 5 YouTube channels, 1 AdSense account, and 1 Blogger blog as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to Russian state-sponsored entities and was sharing content in Russian and Bulgarian that was supportive of separatist movements in the disputed regions of Ukraine and critical of Ukraine and the West.
- We terminated 14 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA) and was sharing content in Russian that was critical of Ukrainian politicians.
- We blocked 1 domain from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Iran. The campaign was linked to Endless Mayfly and was sharing content in English about a variety of topics including US and global current events. We received leads from Mandiant that supported us in this investigation.
- We terminated 3 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. The campaign was sharing content in English about the origins of COVID-19.
- We terminated 4067 YouTube channels as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.
June
- We terminated 4 YouTube channels and 1 AdSense account as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia and Azerbaijan. The campaign was sharing sensational content in Russian about the war in Ukraine. We believe this operation was financially motivated.
- We terminated 1,556 YouTube channels as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.
July 28, 2022
18:00
Why voice AI matters and what’s ahead for Assistant
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I’ve been leading the Google Assistant team for over a year now, and I’m inspired every day by the meaningful questions it raises — like how voice can support underserved populations, teach kids new things or help people with impaired speech communicate more easily. This week, as part of VentureBeat’s annual Transform technology conference, I sat down for a virtual fireside chat with Jana Eggers, CEO of Nara Logics, to tackle some of these questions and talk about what’s ahead for Assistant.

As a computer scientist at heart, I had a lot of fun digging into topics like the machine learning (ML) renaissance, the future of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and the incredible power of voice to transform people’s lives. You can watch the whole fireside chat or check out a few takeaways from our conversation below.
A challenger mindset can push the limits of what’s possible.
Many folks who’ve worked with me know that I like to challenge assumptions. When it comes to building products at Google, that means using technology in new, sometimes uncharted ways to try and solve real-world problems. When I worked on the Google Ads team, for example, I helped create the first ML-driven ads product by challenging existing assumptions about what ML could do. And I’m super excited to use that same challenger spirit to build a world-class, conversational assistant that truly understands you and helps you get things done. I firmly believe we can continue to change people’s lives if we harness new technologies and challenge the boundaries of what’s possible.
Voice is a great democratizer.
There are so many people who are underserved with their information and access needs. We talk about new internet users, or people who can’t read but want to access the world’s information. We now see hundreds of millions of voice queries every day, and that’s continuing to grow among new internet users. In India, for example, nearly 30% of Hindi search queries are spoken. That insight tells us a lot. If you think about reaching these people and making voice a democratizer for access, it’s a compelling area to continue to invest in.
We’re working to create magical conversational experiences for everyone.
The holy grail with Google Assistant is to figure out how a computer can understand humans the way humans understand each other. That’s an audacious, ambitious goal. Human language is ambiguous; we rely on many different cues when we speak to each other that are inherent to us as human beings. So we need to teach computers how humans express themselves and to ask: What are they trying to say? That’s what this product strives to be — a natural and conversational assistant. Every day we ask ourselves: How do we create a magical conversational experience, where the computer truly understands what you’re trying to say and adapts to you?
Pragmatic dreamers can change the world.
This work can’t be done without the right team. Building the best team of people possible is my number one piece of advice. This is hard stuff; it requires a type of individual I call a “pragmatic dreamer.” You want people who can dream big, but you also need people in the trenches figuring out the real, pragmatic engineering challenges standing in the way. I think it’s really important to create space for a team to ideate and explore the boundaries of what’s possible with technology.
Put people first and the rest will follow.
Sometimes we get so enamored by technology that we forget what it's for. I always ask myself: “What are we trying to do for human beings; what are we trying to make better for them?” Sometimes voice can be considered a technology in search of a problem, but I think of it differently. There are real problems people have that this technology can solve. It’s the constant marriage of user problems and what technology can do to solve them. If you keep people as your north star, you can’t go wrong.
16:00
Our 5 Doodle for Google finalists illustrate self-care
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Since we opened up submissions for the 14th annual Doodle for Google student contest, tens of thousands of K-12 students across 54 U.S. states and territories illustrated their answers to the prompt: “I care for myself by…” Our judges were moved by the creative ways in which these young artists shared how they were prioritizing their well-being.

After carefully reviewing each submission, we announced our 54 state and territory winners and opened up public voting on our website. Now, the votes are in, the judges have deliberated and we’re ready to announce our five national finalists for the 2022 Doodle for Google contest!

The finalists were assessed on artistic merit, creativity and how well they addressed the prompt in their artwork and written statements. Each one of them brought intentionality, artistry and heart to their Doodles. Meet our finalists (in age group order):
- A drawing of a child lying in bed dreaming about outer space, the ocean, tree houses and buildings.
- A drawing of a family of four in bed together with a quilt that spells out “Google”
- A drawing of a young girl smelling different dishes including Jollof rice, beef stew, plantains and pounded yam. “Google” is spelled out by the smoke plumes coming from the food.
- A drawing of two children outdoors enjoying nature with their pet cat and dog.
- A drawing of a girl tightly hugging her mother in the middle of the word “Google”.
Grades K-3 National Finalist: Edison Lee, Maryland

Title: Dreaming of my bright future

Artist Statement: I care for myself by dreaming of my bright future. In my dreams, I can be anything I want!

Grades 4-5 National Finalist: Anamirel Campos, Delaware

Title: Family will always care for you

Artist Statement: I care for myself by spending time with my family. They taught me many things, but I can't write them all, so I drew them all on a blanket. I love my family!

Grades 6-7 National Finalist: Faridah Ismaila, Pennsylvania

Title: My self love

Artist Statement: I care for myself by making food! I love to make delicious African dishes with my mom. That's why my Doodle shows me smelling all of the delicious African dishes I LOVE!

Grades 8-9 National Finalist: Grace Dai, Missouri

Title: The life-cycle of health

Artist Statement:

I care for myself by being outdoors, especially with family or my sketchbook. My optimism and mental health soars most when I'm outside, because self-care is like nature; they're both beautiful, intricate systems. Like how a bee pollinates a flower, or how the bird hunts the worm, self-care should be as systematic and natural as life itself.

Grades 10-12 National Finalist: Sophie Araque-Liu, Florida

Title: Not alone

Artist Statement: I care for myself by accepting others’ care for me. Often I struggle to shoulder a burden on my own, and forget that I have so many people, like my mom, who care about me and want to help me. Opening up and letting others support me not only relieves my stress — it also lets me tackle things I could never do on my own.

Over the next few weeks, our panel of judges will establish which of our five national finalists will be chosen as the national contest winner. In addition to having their artwork featured on the Google homepage for 24 hours, the winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology package for their school.

Congratulations to our national finalists, and look out for an update on who our 2022 contest winner will be in the next few weeks!
15:00
New ways to diversify your games revenue
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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With more than 3 billion people playing games across platforms, the games industry continues to evolve rapidly. Still, one thing remains unchanged: developers need to grow revenue and profitability from their mobile games for long term success. This week, at the Think with Google Gaming Day in China, we shared new ways to help developers like you earn more revenue and attract high-value players.
Strengthen your monetization strategies
The right metrics can make a huge difference to your game’s success by enhancing transparency and clarity in your ads performance. AdMob’s updated Ads Activity report contains new measurement dimensions to help you do just that. Easily analyze earnings including those from third-party ad sources with dimensions like “hour of delivery,” “app version” or “ad source.” Publishers can also better monitor and understand the impact of privacy changes on revenue with report dimensions indicating publisher and user response to the iOS privacy framework.

The Ads Activity report contains new dimensions to help you understand your ads performance

Along with the Ads Activity report, we announced more features to help you diversify and grow your revenue for the long-term:
- Google Mobile Ads Software Developer Kit (GMA SDK): Implement the latest GMA SDK version to stay updated on new feature releases such as the same app key that delivers more relevant and personalized ads for your apps on iOS.
- H5 Games Ads (beta): Grow your earnings by easily showing interstitial and rewarded ads in your HTML5 (H5) games today.
- New bidding partner: Access demand from Pangle, now available on AdMob in addition to more than 200 demand partners competing in real-time for your inventory.
Drive deeper engagement and revenue performance
To drive sustainable growth for your game, you’ll need more than just a strong monetization strategy. It is also important to have the right tools to effectively attract quality players. Now, with the ability to add an audience signal to your Android App campaigns, we’re making this even easier. You’ll be able to use your existing knowledge on the types of players you believe your campaigns would be most successful with to help guide our models to find similar new players who are more likely to convert. This will be available in beta in the coming months.
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Add an audience signal to help you find new players who are more likely to convert

As the industry moves away from individual identifiers like device IDs, measuring your campaign performance accurately — along with acting on your conversion data — is critical. That’s why earlier this year, we introduced on-device conversion measurement. With on-device conversion measurement, user interactions with app ads can be matched to app conversions in a way that prevents user-identifying information from leaving a user's device. This helps you to prioritize privacy standards without compromising performance. Explore our developer guide to learn how you can implement this solution for your iOS App campaigns.

We are also releasing other new features to help you grow engagement and performance:
- New audience lists: Re-engage high-value players with automatically generated lists of past purchasers based on your apps’ play data. This feature is now generally available through App campaigns for engagement.
- Creative testing for video: Easily run experiments to understand the impact your video creative has on your App campaign performance. This will be available in beta in the coming months.
- Target return on ad spend (tROAS) for ad revenue: Acquire players who are more likely to engage with ads shown in-app. In the coming months, all developers can send ad revenue from monetization platforms to Google Analytics to improve tROAS bidding in Google Ads.
Scale your reach to third-party app inventory
Lastly, advertisers now have the opportunity to extend their App campaign reach to more users. Advertisers using Google Ads and Display & Video 360 will have the opportunity to participate in real-time bidding integrations with third-party monetization platforms AppLovin (MAX), DT FairBid and Helium by Chartboost.

Also, developers who use third-party platforms will now have easy access to competitive real-time bids from advertisers using Google Ads and Display & Video 360. The program is currently in closed beta and these buying tools will be available as a bidder for approved publishers on these third-party real-time bidding monetization platforms at this time.

Watch the full Ads keynote to hear more about how these solutions can help you drive revenue and profitability for your games business.
15:00
Innovation success in Middle East, Africa and Turkey
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Success! The team at the Dubawa Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, who will automate radio fact-checking.

The GNI Innovation Challenges, part of Google’s $300 million commitment to help journalism thrive in the digital age, have seen news innovators across the world step forward with many exciting initiatives demonstrating new thinking.

The 3rd Middle East, Turkey and Africa Innovation Challenge launched in February 2022, and received 425 applications from 42 countries – a 27% increase in overall applications. After a rigorous review, a round of interviews and a final jury selection process, 34 projects were selected from 17 countries to receive $3.2 million in funding.

This Innovation Challenge saw a significant increase in applications from news organizations undertaking fact checking activities: an increase of 118% when compared to previous Innovation Challenges in the region. Proposed projects which use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) also showed significant growth (92%), reflecting a trend across the news ecosystem to embrace cutting edge new technologies and data.

The call for applications listed five criteria: impact on the news ecosystem; innovation; diversity, equity and inclusion; inspiration; and feasibility – and the chosen projects clearly demonstrated all five. Here’s a selection of the successful recipients (you can find the full list on our website):
- Dubawa, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development from Nigeria, an online-only publisher, will introduce automated radio fact-checking.
- Majarra from the UAE will apply AI and ML to use readers’ data to better help them navigate their website and be more inclusive to female subscribers.
- The Bridge Across the Abraham Accords project: In an industry-first initiative, Tel Aviv-based Israel Hayom and Abu Dhabi-based Al-Ittihad will collaborate to give readers of both news organizations the ability to share news and comment in the same multilingual environment.
- Minority Africa from Uganda is designing and implementing a web distribution application that will make it easier for newsrooms publishing under a Creative Commons license to have more control of their work.
- Quote This Woman+ from South Africa will build a tool to provide women+ (identified as women, people living with disabilities, LGBTQI+, rural and religious minorities).
  sources to newsrooms and journalists to diversify sources in news coverage.
- Dipnot from Turkey, a TV company, will create COM+: a multi-screen OTT platform for curated news in Turkey.
The successful recipients will be embarking on their projects later this summer and will share their learnings with the wider news ecosystem.
15:00
What it's like to have a hybrid internship at Google
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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After three virtual college semesters, I felt like a fish out of water applying for summer internships. My networking and interviewing skills were rusty, and as a first-generation college student without access to career prep resources, I felt totally unprepared for the job application process. I didn't know what role I wanted, where to apply or how to write my resume. So I joined a professional development program for underrepresented talent, where I spent hours in workshops, interview prep sessions and meetings with my career coach.

Inspired by a lecture on battling imposter syndrome and the power of believing in yourself, I built up the confidence to apply to Google. I trusted the process and kept my best foot forward, and before I knew it, I was in my first round of interviews for Google’s communications team. Not long afterward, I was walking through the doors of Google’s New York City campus on my first day as an intern.

This year’s interns are the first to participate in Google’s hybrid work week and the first to go into Google’s offices since early 2020. The hybrid schedule has helped me embrace the best of both worlds — from connecting with my teammates over lunch at the office to focusing on projects in the comfort of my home. Through this hybrid experience, and especially as a member of the communications team, I've learned how important it is to ask questions, stay connected and engage thoughtfully.

A big part of my role at Google is seeking out and sharing stories about our culture, products and people — including my fellow interns. So in celebration of International Intern Day today, I asked a few of them to share more about their hybrid internship experiences and their proudest accomplishments so far. Here’s what I learned.
11:15
Our support for the Economic Opportunity Coalition
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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A healthy economy exists only when opportunities to participate are open to everyone. Google has long worked to make that possible through efforts such as our Google Career Certificates, the Grow with Google Small Business Fund and our commitment tosupplier diversity. Core to this work is our belief that progress is best achieved when we partner with others to scale these efforts.

Consistent with that approach, today Google is proud to help launch the Economic Opportunity Coalition, a group dedicated to building an equitable economy. Google intends to work alongside others in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to find ways to help close the racial wealth gap in the United States. The Coalition has identified four focus areas: investing in strengthening community finance organizations, supporting entrepreneurship, improving financial health and addressing infrastructure needs, such as affordable housing.

At Google, we have pioneered solutions to these issues and continue to do so. For example, our $100 million Google Career Certificates Fund focuses on Google’s digital skills training program and introduces a new financing model to provide loans and grants to students through Social Finance, a leading national nonprofit in the field of workforce development. Another example is our funding to Opportunity Finance Network to help Community Development Financial Institutions, which provide capital to underserved small businesses.

Our work in this regard contributes to sustainable economic growth, and the efforts of others in the Coalition will amplify our impact. Building a world in which everyone has access to opportunities will help foster more vibrant economic communities, and we look forward to others joining us in the Economic Opportunity Coalition and contributing to this important work.
July 27, 2022
21:00
A unified Gmail, for all the ways you connect
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Gmail has changed a lot over the past 18 years, and since the beginning, we’ve aspired to help billions of people around the world stay connected and get things done. Our latest changes bring helpful updates to every Gmail user, including the best of Google Workspace, combined with a fresh new look based on Google’s Material Design 3.
Evolving right along with you
Over the years, we’ve introduced new ways to stay productive, like the tabbed inbox, AI-based innovations like Smart Compose and Smart Reply and the ability to get your Gmail on the go with native apps for iOS and Android. (Fun fact: Gmail was the first app on the Google Play Store to hit one billion installs!) Often these changes are highly visual, like custom inbox themes, but some really important ones are less visible, like AI-based spam, phishing and malware protections.
Modern communication, modern design
During the pandemic, we’ve seen a further evolution as tens of millions of people around the world started to move between email, messaging, group chat and video calls as a part of managing their daily lives. To help people stay connected, we’re bringing together Gmail, Chat, Spaces and Meet in a single, unified view.
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The new integrated Gmail view with Chat, Spaces and Meet

We first announced the new integrated Gmail view as a sneak-peek preview back in January, and we got tons of feedback from users who are excited about the new look and feel, along with improvement suggestions.

Starting today, the integrated view will begin to roll out for all Gmail users who have turned on Chat. You’ll see a clean, streamlined way to move between apps that you can customize based on what works best for you.

Using Quick Settings, you can select apps you’d like to toggle between on the left side of your window, whether it’s Gmail by itself or a combination of Gmail, Chat, Spaces and Meet. Label lovers will see separate sections for system labels (like Starred, Snoozed and Important) and custom labels you make yourself. And people who love to chat will see conversation bubbles with snippets of incoming messages, along with options to quick reply instead of opening the full message.
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Easily select the applications you want to use in Gmail

Over the next few weeks, users can enable the integrated view, using the new visual configuration option in Settings — and anyone who wants to keep their existing Gmail layout will be able to do so. You get the Gmail that best fits your personal style, along with a clean, new look, thanks to our Material 3 design.

The new Gmail interface updated with Material 3 look and feel.
More than a pretty (inter)face
Beyond the user interface, we’re continuing to make Gmail more powerful and customizable. For example, we’re making it easier than ever to find the message you’re looking for by bringing search chips to your inbox and improved search results that suggest the best match for your query.
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New inbox filters and improved search results

And later this year, we’re delivering an improved experience for tablet users, better emojis, new accessibility features and a whole lot more.
Looking ahead
Now you can optimize Gmail for how you like to stay connected, whether it’s as a standalone email application or a hub for easily moving between Chat, Spaces and video calls in Google Meet. After 18 years of helping people collaborate and get things done, Gmail is more helpful, customizable, and integrated than ever before.
18:45
Expanding testing for the Privacy Sandbox for the Web
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Improving people's privacy, while giving businesses the tools they need to succeed online, is vital to the future of the open web. That's why we started the Privacy Sandbox initiative to collaborate with the ecosystem on developing privacy-preserving alternatives to third-party cookies and other forms of cross-site tracking. Over the past several months, we've released trial versions of a number of new Privacy Sandbox APIs in Chrome for developers to test.

Throughout this process, we’ve worked to refine our design proposals based on input from developers, publishers, marketers, and regulators via forums like the W3C, and earlier this year, we reached an agreement with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on how we develop and release the Privacy Sandbox in Chrome worldwide.

The most consistent feedback we’ve received is the need for more time to evaluate and test the new Privacy Sandbox technologies before deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome. This feedback aligns with our commitment to the CMA to ensure that the Privacy Sandbox provides effective, privacy-preserving technologies and the industry has sufficient time to adopt these new solutions. This deliberate approach to transitioning from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive, without relying on cross-site tracking identifiers or covert techniques like fingerprinting.

For these reasons, we are expanding the testing windows for the Privacy Sandbox APIs before we disable third-party cookies in Chrome.

Developers can already test these APIs today, and beginning in early August, the Privacy Sandbox trials will expand to millions of users globally, and we’ll gradually increase the trial population throughout the rest of the year and into 2023. Before users are added into the trials, they will be shown a prompt giving them the option to manage their participation. As the web community tests these APIs, we’ll continue to listen and respond to feedback.

By Q3 2023, we expect the Privacy Sandbox APIs to be launched and generally available in Chrome. As developers adopt these APIs, we now intend to begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the second half of 2024. As always, you can find up-to-date timelines and milestones on the Privacy Sandbox website.

The updated timeline is available on privacysandbox.com/timeline.

We're grateful to be working with companies across the industry who are invested in developing privacy-first experiences on the web, and will be testing Privacy Sandbox in the coming months.
- quote from Masanaga Konishi
- quote from Todd Parsons
- quote from Townsend Feehan
- quote from Sundeep Parsa
The Privacy Sandbox initiative is an ambitious undertaking for the entire industry, and we look forward to continuing to engage with the web community as testing expands.
18:00
New video editing and productivity features coming to Chromebook
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Today we’re announcing new features and apps for Chromebook to take your creativity and productivity to the next level. Whether you’re enjoying your favorite music or movies, creating a vacation highlight reel or powering through work, Chromebook lets you do it all with speed, security and ease — right out of the box.

Over the next few months we’ll roll out new Chromebook features, including video editing tools in the Google Photos app to help you showcase your summer adventures, enhanced app capabilities and features to help you get organized and get things done.
Get in the director’s chair with Google Photos
Share your favorite memories with friends and family and bring your creativity to life with Google Photos’ new movie editor and video editing features — available first on Chromebook this fall.

A peek at Google Photos’ new movie editor coming to Chromebook (UI subject to change)

Creating an end-to-end movie made up of multiple video clips, photos, a title card and music can come with a learning curve and take a lot of time. But Google Photos’ revamped movie creation tools help you make high-quality movies with just a few taps. You’ll be able to create beautiful movies from suggested themes, or put yourself in the director’s seat and start from scratch, right on your Chromebook.

Start by selecting a theme and the people (or pets!) you’d like to feature, and Google Photos will make a movie with both video clips and photos. It even intelligently selects the most meaningful moments from your long videos.

For those who like more creative control, you can also build your own movie from scratch with the Google Photos movie editor. Google Photos’ search capabilities make it easy to select, then arrange photos and clips in the order you’d like.

Whether you start from a theme or a blank slate, you’ll be able to trim video clips, or edit them to adjust the brightness, contrast and more. Or you can apply one of the Real Tone filters we added earlier this year – these filters were made to work well across skin tones, so you can choose from a wide assortment of looks to find one that reflects your style. You can also add finishing touches, like music and a title card, to make your movie shine.

Select a theme, like “Friendship movie”, and choose who you want to include and Google Photos will create a movie with clips and photos (UI subject to change)

Google Photos integrates with Chromebook’s Gallery and Files apps, so if you open a video in the Gallery app, you can continue editing it in Google Photos with a tap. You can also use images and videos saved on your Chromebook in the movies you make on the Google Photos app.

And for professional-grade video editing, the LumaFusion app is also coming to Chromebooks. LumaFusion’s multitrack video editor lets you add graphics, visual effects, transitions and distortions, audio tracks and sound effects, narration, color grading and more.

No matter what kind of movie you want to create, from a summer highlight reel to a short film, Chromebook’s versatile and easy-to-use tools and apps have you covered.
Meet new apps, and get more out of your favorites
Whether you’re diving into forecasting at work or preparing and planning for back-to-school season, Chromebook’s preinstalled apps are ready to help. Here are a few new ones we recommend trying out:
- Gallery app. We’re introducing new PDF editing features to Gallery, Chomebook’s default media app, so you can fill out forms, highlight text, sign documents and add text annotations. No more printing and scanning just to sign a form. You’ll start to see this roll out next week.
- Screencast app. Anyone can now use Screencast to record, view and share transcribed videos and presentations, whether it’s a virtual lesson or a how-to video or demo.
- Cursive app. Capture, edit and organize handwritten notes on stylus-enabled Chromebooks. When it's time to share, you can quickly copy and paste your notes into another app or send as a PDF.
Using the Gallery app you’ll be able to annotate, highlight, edit, and sign PDFs.

And of course, when it’s time to go back to school or catch up on work after a long summer vacation, Google Workspace apps — like Docs, Calendar, Meet and Chat — are already on Chromebook. Whether you’re catching up on emails or collaborating on a group project you paused weeks ago, all of your files will be waiting on Google Drive. And when you want to kick back and relax, entertainment apps are just a tap away. Check the latest trends on YouTube, update your “Summer 2022” playlist on YouTube Music or play a game on Stadia.

For creativity, easy-to-use design tools like Canva, Figma and Adobe Express are made to work easily on Chromebook so you can create everything from beautiful presentations to professional-looking social media posts. Apps like FL Studio help you arrange, record, mix and master quality music, and add instruments like synthesizers, drum kits and more.

For a little more support in and out of class, Evernote helps you keep your life organized with great note-taking, project planning and easy ways to find what you’re looking for. Plus, get expert advice to help you succeed from Outlier.org, which provides world-class online college education from the founders of MasterClass. And you have 1000+ powerful PC games on NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Luna to help you unwind.

Check out special offers on some of these apps and others — perfect for college students heading back to school in the U.S.
Manage your life and make Chromebook your own
Recently we’ve added new ways to help you get things done easily, like the newly redesigned Launcher that lets you find what you need with the press of a button, and additions to cross-device features like Phone Hub and Nearby Share. In the next few months, we’re also rolling out some new organization and productivity features to help you manage your schedule and stay focused, with some new ways to personalize your Chromebook.
- Chromebook screen with a pink background. The new Wallpaper & style app is open, and in it users can select a wallpaper, screensaver, and theme.
  If you’re not the type to plaster your laptop with stickers on the outside, you can now personalize your Chromebook in new ways. Now you can set your wallpaper from one of your Google Photos albums – and even have it automatically change daily. Imagine waking up to see your photos rotate between your friends, parents, pets… you get the idea. You can also see your favorite pictures sway in the breeze or gently float across your screen using one of the new screensaver photo frames.
- Video format not supportedA GIF showing a Chromebook screen going from Light theme to Dark theme. The pink background shifts to a darker red, and the shelf also becomes darker.
  We’re introducing light and dark themes. The “light” theme keeps things bright and airy, while “dark” makes for easy reading at night or in low light, and can help conserve power. You can choose to keep your laptop on one theme all the time, or choose “auto” to have your Chromebook automatically transition from light to dark when day turns to night. Bonus: some new wallpapers are made for both themes, so your wallpaper will subtly shift from light to dark, too.
- Video format not supportedThe GIF starts with several windows open in a desk titled “Research Project”. The user taps on “save for later” and the desk contents condense, and several saved desks show on the screen.
  You might already use virtual desks to keep all your related apps and windows grouped and organized when you’re focusing on a specific project, like one desk for a research project and another for planning a vacation (as you can see, I think a lot about vacations). Soon you’ll be able to save and close an entire desk, including all windows and apps — perfect for when it’s time to shift gears and focus on emailing friends or family. When you’re ready to get back to it, you can open your saved windows and tabs with a tap. And once your project is done (and who doesn’t love that feeling?), you can also close all open windows at once.
- The new monthly calendar view is open on the right side of the screen.
  Last but not least, tap on the date on your Chromebook shelf and a monthly calendar will now pop up on the side of your screen. Select any date to see your Google Calendar events in more detail and check your availability at a glance – no need to open another app or browser tab. Notifications are also getting an upgrade. Notifications from the same sender will be grouped together, plus larger buttons make it easier to join a meeting or respond to a message, right from the notification.
We’re keeping busy through the rest of the summer making Chromebook even more useful and powerful. We’ll be back to share more updates soon.
18:00
9 ways to make the most of your Chromecast
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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The year 2013: when we were all snacking on endless fro-yo, discussing season three of “Game of Thrones” with anyone who would listen and laughing out loud to the best clips on Vine. But did you know it was also the year we introduced Chromecast to the world?

Since then, Chromecast continues to be the one of the simplest options for you to see your photos on the big screen, gather round a virtual fireplace on YouTube over the holidays or catch up on your favorite show — all with one device.

So to celebrate nine years of our favorite streamer that's only getting better with age (we're a little biased), we're rounding up nine features to help you to make the most of your Chromecast:
1. See who’s at your door. Today we’re announcing Chromecast with Google TV is rolling out support for live video streaming from Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery), Nest Cam (indoor, wired), Nest Cam with floodlight and Nest Doorbell (battery) – which means all your Nest Cams and Nest doorbells are supported. Now you can quickly see a live view of your cameras from the comfort of your couch – so you can know for sure when your pizza delivery shows up at your front door on movie night.
2. Mirror your Android screen or Chrome tab to the big screen. Looking at a menu with your family before heading out to dinner? Or planning your next vacation destination with your friends? No matter what information you’re sharing, you can easily cast to a TV or other screen.
3. Show off your photos on a TV with Chromecast. When you’re back from that vacation, show off your photos with the Google Photos app. Just select the photo or album you want to cast and display it on your TV. Then you can swipe between photos to change what’s displayed.
4. Cast your meetings to the big screen. With the Google Meet app, you can cast your meeting to the TV while continuing to use your computer's camera, microphone and audio. Perfect for virtual family reunions.
5. The control is yours with Chromecast. Chromecast with Google TV comes with a physical remote, which has been one of our most requested features since Chromecast’s early days. But you can also use your phone, your TV remote or your voice - just say, “Hey Google, play ‘The Umbrella Academy’ on the living room TV” to your Assistant-enabled device.
6. Continue casting even when you leave the room. You don’t need to worry about playback being interrupted if you need to leave the house for a bit, or if you walk outside of your Wi-Fi coverage area. So if you need to run to the store to grab more ice, the party inside can continue.
7. Let your friends and family join in on the party with a shared queue. In the YouTube app, anyone connected to the same Wi-Fi as your Chromecast can tap the Cast icon on a YouTube video and add it to a shared playlist so everyone can contribute to what you’re watching or listening to.
8. Move your media from room to room. Ready to move to another room but don’t want to stop listening to the latest episode of your favorite podcast? You can easily move music, podcasts or radio currently streaming from your Google Nest or Home speaker or display, or Chromecast device to another Nest speaker, speaker group, display, or Chromecast-connected device so you don’t have to worry about missing a thing. You can also move YouTube videos between Google Nest displays and Chromecast devices.
9. Cast with Android, iOS or Chrome on PC and Mac. We wanted to make it easy to cast from as many devices as possible, whether you’re on Android, iOS or on your computer. It’s as simple as tapping Cast from a compatible app, selecting your Chromecast and tapping play.
18:00
Google’s efforts to identify and counter spyware
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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The following testimony was delivered to the U.S. House Intelligence Committeeby Shane Huntley, Senior Director of Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) on July 27, 2022.

Chairman Schiff, Ranking Member Turner, and esteemed Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee to discuss Google’s efforts to protect users from commercial spyware. We appreciate the Committee’s efforts to raise awareness about the commercial spyware industry that is thriving and growing, creating risks to Americans and Internet users across the globe.
Our expert teams
Google has been tracking the activities of commercial spyware vendors for years, and we have been taking critical steps to protect our users. We take the security of our users very seriously, and we have dedicated teams in place to protect against attacks from a wide range of sources. Our Threat Analysis Group, or TAG, is dedicated to protecting users from threats posed by state-sponsored malware attacks and other advanced persistent threats. TAG actively monitors threat actors and the evolution of their tactics and techniques. For example, TAG has been closely tracking and disrupting campaigns targeting individuals and organizations in Ukraine, and frequently publishes reports on Russian threat actors.

We use our research to continuously improve the safety and security of our products and share this intelligence with our industry peers. We also publicly release information about the operations we disrupt, which is available to our government partners and the general public. TAG tracks and proactively counters serious state-sponsored and financially motivated information cyber criminal activities, such as hacking and the use of spyware. And we don’t just plug security holes – we work to eliminate entire classes of threats for consumers and businesses whose work depends on the Internet. We are joined in this effort by many other security teams at Google, including Project Zero, our team of security researchers at Google who study zero-day vulnerabilities in the hardware and software systems that are depended upon by users around the world.
Our ongoing work
Google has a long track record combating commercial surveillance tools targeting our users. In 2017, Android – which is owned by Google – was the first mobile platform to warn users about NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. At the time, our Android team released research about a newly discovered family of spyware related to Pegasus that was used in a targeted attack on a small number of Android devices. We observed fewer than three dozen installs of this spyware. We remediated the compromises for these users and implemented controls to protect all Android users.

NSO Group continues to pose risks across the Internet ecosystem. In 2019, we confronted the risks posed by NSO Group again, relying upon NSO Groups’s marketing information suggesting that they had a 0-day exploit for Android. Google was able to identify the vulnerability in use and fix the exploit quickly. In December 2021, we released research about novel techniques used by NSO Group to compromise iMessage users. iPhone users could be compromised by receiving a malicious iMessage text, without ever needing to click a malicious link. Short of not using a device, there is no way to prevent exploitation by a zero-click exploit; it's a weapon against which there is no defense. Based on our research and findings, we assessed this to be one of the most technically sophisticated exploits we had ever seen, further demonstrating that the capabilities NSO provides rival those previously thought to be accessible to only a handful of nation states.

Although this Committee must be concerned with the exploits of NSO Group, it is not the only entity posing risks to our users. For example, TAG discovered campaigns targeting Armenian users which utilized zero-day vulnerabilities in Chrome and Internet Explorer. We assessed that a surveillance vendor packaged and sold these technologies. Reporting by CitizenLab linked this activity to Candiru, an Israeli spyware vendor. Other reporting from Microsoft has linked this spyware to the compromise of dozens of victims, including political dissidents, human rights activists, journalists, and academics.

Most recently, we reported in May on five zero-day vulnerabilities affecting Chrome and Android which were used to compromise Android users. We assess with high confidence that commercial surveillance company Cytrox packaged these vulnerabilities, and sold the hacking software to at least eight governments. Among other targets, this spyware was used to compromise journalists and opposition politicians. Our reporting is consistent with earlier analysis produced by CitizenLab and Meta.

TAG also recently released information on a segment of attackers we call “hack-for-hire” that focuses on compromising accounts and exfiltrating data as a service. In contrast to commercial surveillance vendors, who we generally observe selling a capability for the end user to operate, hack-for-hire firms conduct attacks themselves. They target a wide range of users and opportunistically take advantage of known security flaws when undertaking their campaigns. In June, we provided examples of the hack-for-hire ecosystem from India, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The growth of commercial spyware vendors and hack-for-hire groups has necessitated growth in TAG to counter these threats. Where once we only needed substreams to focus on threat actors such as China, Russia, and North Korea, TAG now has a dedicated analysis subteam dedicated to commercial vendors and operators.
Risks posed by commercial spyware are increasing
Our findings underscore the extent to which commercial surveillance vendors have proliferated capabilities historically only used by governments. These vendors operate with deep technical expertise to develop and operationalize exploits. We believe its use is growing, fueled by demand from governments.

Seven of the nine zero-day vulnerabilities our Threat Analysis Group discovered in 2021 were originally developed by commercial providers and sold to and used by state-sponsored actors. TAG is actively tracking more than 30 vendors with varying levels of sophistication and public exposure selling exploits or surveillance capabilities to state-sponsored actors.

This industry appears to be thriving. In fact, there was recently a large industry conference in Europe, sponsored by many of the commercial spyware vendors we track. This trend should be concerning to the United States and all citizens. These vendors are enabling the proliferation of dangerous hacking tools, arming nation state actors that would not otherwise be able to develop these capabilities in-house. While use of surveillance technologies may be legal under national or international laws, they are found to be used by some state actors for purposes antithetical to democratic values: targeting dissidents, journalists, human rights workers, and opposition party politicians.

We have also observed proliferation risk from nation state actors attempting to gain access to the exploits of these vendors. Last year, TAG identified an ongoing campaign targeting security researchers working on vulnerability research and development at different companies and organizations. The actors behind this campaign, which we attributed to a government-backed entity based in North Korea, have employed a number of means to target researchers.

In addition to these concerns, there are other reasons why this industry presents a risk more broadly across the Internet. While vulnerability research is an important contributor to online safety when that research is used to improve the security of products, vendors stockpiling zero-day vulnerabilities in secret can pose a severe risk to the Internet when the vendor itself gets compromised. This has happened to multiple spyware vendors over the past ten years, raising the specter that their stockpiles can be released publicly without warning.

The proliferation of commercial hacking tools is a threat to national security, making the Internet less safe and undermining the trust on which a vibrant, inclusive digital society depends. This is why when Google discovers these activities, we not only take steps to protect users, but also disclose that information publicly to raise awareness and help the entire ecosystem, in line with our historical commitment to openness and democratic values.
Google’s work to protect users
Across all Google products, we incorporate industry-leading security features and protections to keep our users safe. On Search, Google’s Safe Browsing is an industry-leading service to identify unsafe websites across the web and notify users and website owners of potential harm. Google Safe Browsing helps protect over four billion devices every day by showing warnings to users when they attempt to navigate to unsafe sites or download harmful files. Safe Browsing also notifies webmasters when their websites are compromised by malicious actors and helps them diagnose and resolve the problem so that their visitors stay safer.

On Gmail, we recommend certain Gmail security precautions to prevent spoofing, phishing, and spam. Spoofers may send forged messages using an organization’s real name or domain to subvert authentication measures. We use email authentication to protect against email spoofing, which is when email content is changed to make the message appear from someone or somewhere other than the actual source. And we offer other advanced phishing and malware protection to administrators to better protect their users. By default, Gmail displays warnings and moves untrustworthy emails to the user’s spam folder. However administrators can also use advanced security settings to enhance their users’ protection against suspicious attachments and scripts from untrusted senders.

For Android, through its entire development lifecycle, we subject the products to a rigorous security program. The Android security process begins early in the development lifecycle, and each major feature of the platform is reviewed by engineering and security resources. We ensure appropriate controls are built into the architecture of the system. During the development stage, Android-created and open source components are subject to vigorous security reviews For users, Android provides safety and control over how apps and third parties can access the data from their devices. For example, users are provided visibility into the permissions requested by each app, and they are able to control those permissions.

We have also built additional tools to prevent successful attacks on devices that run Android once those devices are in users’ hands. For example, Google Play Protect, our built-in malware protection for Android, continuously scans devices for potentially harmful applications.

Although our security precautions are robust, security issues can still occur, which is why we created a comprehensive security response process to respond to incidents. Google manages a vulnerability rewards program (VRP), rewarding researchers millions of dollars for their contributions in securing our devices and platforms. We also provide research grants to security researchers to help fund and support the research community. This is all part of a larger strategy to keep Google products and users, as well as the Internet at large more secure. Project Zero is also a critical component of this strategy, pushing transparency and more timely patching of vulnerabilities.

Finally, we also offer the leading tools to protect important civil society actors such as journalists, human rights workers, opposition party politicians, and campaign organizations – in other words, the users who are frequently targeted by surveillance tools. Google developed Project Shield, a free protection against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, to protect news media and human rights organization websites. We recently expanded eligibility to protect Ukraine government organizations, and we are currently protecting over 200 Ukraine websites today. To protect high risk user accounts, we offer the Advanced Protection Program (APP), which is our highest form of account security. APP has a strong track record protecting users – since the program’s inception, there are no documented cases of an account compromise via phishing.
Whole of Society response necessary to tackle spyware
We believe it is time for government, industry and civil society to come together to change the incentive structure which has allowed these technologies to spread in secret. The first step is to understand the scope of the problem. We appreciate the Committee’s focus on this issue, and recommend the U.S. Intelligence Community prioritize identifying and analyzing threats from foreign commercial spyware providers as being on par with other major advanced threat actors. The U.S. should also consider ways to foster greater transparency in the marketplace, including setting heightened transparency requirements for the domestic surveillance industry. The U.S. could also set an example to other governments by reviewing and disclosing its own historical use of these tools.

We welcome recent steps taken by the government in applying sanctions to the NSO Group and Candiru, and we believe other governments should consider expanding these restrictions. Additionally, the U.S. government should consider a full ban on Federal procurement of commercial spyware technologies and contemplate imposing further sanctions to limit spyware vendors’ ability to operate in the U.S. and receive U.S. investment. The harms from this industry are amply evident by this point, and we believe they outweigh any benefit to continued use.

Finally, we urge the United States to lead a diplomatic effort to work with the governments of the countries who harbor problematic vendors, as well as those who employ these tools, to build support for measures that limit harms caused by this industry. Any one government’s ability to meaningfully impact this market is limited; only through a concerted international effort can this serious risk to online safety be mitigated.

Google is investing heavily as a company and as an industry to counter serious threats to our users. In the modern world, we must be able to trust the devices we use every day and ensure that foreign adversaries do not have access to sophisticated exploits. While we continue to fight these threats on a technical level, the providers of these capabilities operate openly in democratic countries. Google is committed to leading the industry in detecting and disrupting these threats.

I thank the Committee for this attention on this critical issue.
17:30
Our new office is a love letter to Atlanta
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Google has been a part of Atlanta for more than 20 years. There are more than 1,000 full-time Google employees in Georgia — in two offices in Atlanta and a data center in Douglas County — helping to build and support our products, and help our partners and customers across the South and nationally.

We recently opened our doors to the newest office space in Midtown Atlanta at the 1105 West Peachtree building. This new Google office encompasses 19 floors spanning 500,000 square feet, and is a part of our broader investment in local communities across the U.S.

Atlanta has a rich civil rights history and is home to top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and tech talent. Continuing our long-term investment here will help support our Black Googler community in Atlanta, in line with our racial equity commitments.

Inspired by the city’s legacy for social change, our office was designed as an homage to the people of Atlanta, with each floor an ode to Atlanta’s cultural, musical and artistic history. We worked with more than 50 local and diverse companies to design and build the new space, including artwork from more than 20 local artists.

A giant heart outlining the Google Atlanta sign greets you in the lobby. One of the staircases features a rainbow design — in support and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community — inspired by the city’s nearby rainbow crosswalks. The WERD Cafe, our Googler cafeteria, is named for the first Black-owned and programmed U.S. radio station.
- The lobby is decorated with warm vibrant colors and a relaxed sitting area with music memorabilia, a record player and a boombox.
  The ATL office lobby greets you with a mix of fun design and an emphasis on music. From record players to boomboxes, it’s a reflection of Atlanta’s musical history.
- A rainbow internal staircase connects the floors.
  An internal rainbow staircase supports and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, which is inspired by the city’s nearby crosswalks in Midtown Atlanta.
- An art installation of cassette tapes shaped into a “G”
  This cassette wall was furnished by Atlanta Googlers, and pays homage to Atlanta’s culture, musical and artistic history.
- A coffee bar with espresso machines located inside a cafeteria
  The WERD Cafe & Coffee Bar serves as the breakfast and lunch area for Googlers, and is named after the first black owned and operated radio station in Atlanta.
- A Googler community area, decorated with Georgia peaches, a couch and additional seating
  Throughout the office, Googlers will find communal seating areas to promote collaboration, self-care and community.
Our commitment to Atlanta extends far beyond the walls of our new office. In 2021, Google products helped provide $13.21 billion of economic activity for tens of thousands of Georgia businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers.

Today, we’re announcing a $1 million commitment to the Urban League of Atlanta to support their work in training underserved communities throughout Georgia. This grant will help jobseekers get digital skills training and place them in high-growth jobs.

On top of this, to bring equitable opportunities to more Georgians, we’re partnering with local community organizations and universities. We’re working with HBCUs like Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College to attract top talent, and partnering with the Technical College System of Georgia to offer Google Career Certificates to 22 colleges across the state at no cost.

Lastly, we are partnering with Mayor Andre Dickens and the Atlanta BeltLine to launch the Atlanta BeltLine Marketplace, an effort to help local Black, Latino and women-owned small businesses reach new customers by retrofitting rail cars into office spaces. We’re providing Wi-Fi for the rail containers, a complete suite of Google Nest products, Chromebooks and free digital skills training.

We look forward to continuing to support and partner with our customers, employees and local communities in Atlanta for years to come.
15:40
Bringing Google to Chicago's Thompson Center
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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In 2000, Google’s Chicago office consisted of two people in River North. Now, that presence has grown to more than 1,800 employees in Fulton Market. And today, we’re announcing we intend to buy the iconic James R. Thompson Center building in Chicago’s Loop upon future renovation, which deepens our commitment to Google’s long-term presence in the city. The cost of the existing unrenovated building is $105 million.

This will support engineering work in Chicago and helps advance the growth of Google’s partners and customers across the Midwest and nationally. It also helps us meet the future needs of our flexible hybrid workforce. By establishing a presence in Chicago’s central business district, we will be getting in on the ground floor of a broader revitalization of the Loop.

The Thompson Center will provide employees with unparalleled public transit access as the only building in the city where six L train lines converge, easily connecting Chicago’s South, West and North sides. Once renovated to a Class A environmentally friendly office building, we anticipate occupying the Thompson Center starting in 2026.

Google will occupy the Thompson Center once renovations are completed. (Photo credit: Courtesy of Jahn)

The tech sector’s economic impact in Chicago has been significant. The city has become a global tech hub generating new jobs and top talent. A recent economic impact study shows creating one high-tech job generates another 4.4 jobs in the local economy. In 2020, Google’s employees in Chicago supported over 4,600 indirect jobs in Illinois, for a total economic impact of $2 billion.

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Office spotlight: Chicago
Go behind the scenes of our Chicago office.
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We love being part of Chicago’s diverse and vibrant community. It’s important to us to be good neighbors and continue to focus on helping local communities, organizations and people emerge stronger from the pandemic:
- Since 2007, Google.org has awarded over $18 million in grants to a wide range of nonprofits and organizations based in Illinois, including grants that help place jobseekers from under-resourced Chicago communities into in-demand careers.
- Grow with Google has trained more than 358,000 people across Illinois in digital skills.
- Google for Startups partners with leading startups that support the state's technology entrepreneurs, like 1871 and Bunker Labs. For example, as part of our inaugural Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund, five Chicago startups founded by Latino entrepreneurs each recently received $100,000 in cash awards to help fuel their businesses. And over the past two years, the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund has provided cash awards and support to promising entrepreneurs across the country, including to Chicago-based companies A.M Money, Five to Nine, 4Degrees, LifeWeb 360, Cyber Pop-Up and GoLogic.
We look forward to continuing to be an active part of Chicago’s community for many years to come.
15:00
Find back-to-school deals for 2000s throwback trends
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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This fall, for the first time in years, many students across the U.S. will return to the classroom in person. With a new (in-real-life) school year fast approaching, students and their families are already on the lookout for new gear: In fact, searches for “back to school supplies'' increased by 80% in the last month versus the same period last year, while searches for “back to school deals” grew 40%.

We looked into what items back-to-school shoppers are searching for and found that the early 2000s are having a moment. One of this season’s hottest shopping trends is the Y2K aesthetic — with butterfly hair clips, trucker hats and inflatable dorm furniture making a comeback.

So as you get ready for the school year, we’re sharing the top-trending Y2K back-to-school items and Google tools to help you get the most bang for your buck.
Top Y2K trends
Search interest for school supplies spikes every August in the U.S., and it's driven by searches for the usual suspects: file folders, pencil cases, notebooks and three-ring binders. This year, trending product searches are leaning into the Y2K style.

Back(pack) to the 2000s

As students head to the physical classroom, they’re ready to shop for the back-to-school staple: a brand new backpack. Searches for playful Y2K styles like “butterfly backpacks” spiked 190% over the last month and “metallic backpacks,” another iconic Y2K look, grew by 90% during the same period. Meanwhile, searches for “vintage backpack” reached a record high in the U.S. this month.

A clear favorite

Translucent and clear accessories were a trademark of early 2000s style. Now, the clear aesthetic is finding its way into school supplies: Searches for "clear post it notes" increased by more than 250% ahead of the back-to-school season, “clear bento boxes” are currently trending and searches for “clear pencil case” are at an all-time high.

Throwback threads

Y2K is also breaking through in back-to-school apparel trends. Search interest for “baggy jeans outfits” is up 650% this month, while searches for “claw clips,” “crochet top” and “trucker hats” are at an all-time high. You can also expect to see students sporting other early 2000s classics — like the “baby tee,” up 40% this year, and “butterfly hair clips,” up 80%.

Funky dorm decor

For students headed off to college, dorm room decorations are top of mind. Search interest for “Y2K room decor” increased 80% in the last month versus the same time period last year. Classic styles from the early 2000s are showing up in home goods — for example, searches for “smiley face rugs” increased 15% in the past month. Playful decor is on the rise too, with “inflatable furniture” searches up 10%, and “glow in the dark stars for ceiling” searches more than doubling over the past month.
Get the best back-to-school deals
Shoppers aren’t just looking for the coolest styles, they’re looking for the best deals. When you start back-to-school shopping on Google, our tools can help you find inspiration, research and compare products for the best value.

On sale filter

Tap the “on sale” filter when you’re searching for a back-to-school product on the Shopping tab to see recent price drops, deals and products on sale — making it simple to factor price into your search from the start.

Price insights

Ever wonder if you’re getting a good deal? Click into the product details page on Google Shopping for a price insights graph. It’ll show you whether a product price is high, low or typical compared to others across the web and in nearby stores.

Price tracking tool

If you’re getting a head start on shopping, our price tracking tool can help you monitor price changes leading up to the school year. When you find a product you’re interested in, tap the “Track Price” toggle on Google to get a notification when the price drops.
12:00
Advancing transparency for buyers and publishers
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Our advertising partners often ask me, “how can I better understand where my dollars are being spent?” This question isn’t new. But as buying and selling digital ads has become more complex, tracking where the money goes has become more difficult. On average 15% of advertiser spend is unattributable, according to some industry estimates.

One of my biggest concerns about this trend is its impact on marketer confidence in digital advertising. How can we all provide greater visibility into the investments of agencies and advertisers to properly inform future media spend? While we can’t speak for the many other companies in this space, our platforms do not take hidden fees. Working with others in the industry, we’re committed to investing in solutions that bring greater trust to programmatic buying and advance a more transparent ecosystem.
Introducing Confirming Gross Revenue
Today we’re announcing Confirming Gross Revenue, a new solution that gives buyers and publishers a privacy-safe way to verify that no hidden fees are taken from digital advertising transactions when using Google Ad Manager.

The publisher can use the new Revenue Verification Report to see the aggregate gross revenue received from a specific buyer. Then the buyer and the publisher can verify the media cost from the buyer’s reporting matches the gross revenue the publisher received. If the numbers match, the buyer can confirm that their full media spend reached the publisher and no hidden fees were taken.

As we build out this feature, Display & Video 360 is onboard as an early tester. And, as a new solution, we’re in communication and collaboration with other demand-side platforms, sell-side platforms, publishers and agencies, who will test this feature and provide feedback to improve it. As we onboard more partners, we have started to gather some of this feedback.

"OMG prides ourselves in being industry leading advocates for full supply chain transparency. We believe this feature will be a great first step toward confirming that there are no hidden fees in programmatic buying, and having a seat at the table gives us the best opportunity to affect positive change for advertisers."

- Philip Pollock, Chief Operating Officer, Omnicom Media Group Australia

"Transparency and trust go hand in hand and giving us additional access and insight into media costs is a step in the right direction. We look forward to being early adopters of the solution and partnering with Google to provide feedback on how to make improvements.”

- Eric Hochberger, CEO, Mediavine

"Greater transparency in the digital advertising supply chain through solutions like Confirming Gross Revenue is sorely needed. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to invest in creating industry standards like ads.txt, sellers.json, DemandChain Object and buyers.json to help everyone raise the bar on trust in programmatic buying. We look forward to working with Google on this privacy-forward solution and potentially incorporating these concepts into IAB Tech Lab’s standards portfolio."

- Anthony Katsur, CEO IAB Tech Lab
Transparency without compromising privacy
As we continue to invest in solutions to bring more transparency into media buying, we’re also protecting people’s privacy and the contractual confidentiality of our partners. Transparency and privacy do not need to be at odds, which is why Confirming Gross Revenue only uses the data needed to confirm no hidden fees have been taken. To reduce the risk of user identification, the feature relies on aggregate gross revenue amounts, rather than combining granular log-level data.
Implementing industry standards
This solution builds on years of work to increase transparency to programmatic advertising, including steps we’ve taken to simplify our platforms and explain our own fee structure. In recent years, we've also participated in industry transparency standards across our buyside and sellside businesses, like ads.txt / app-ads.txt, sellers.json and SupplyChain Object. For example, we recently brought SupplyChain Object data into Ads Data Hub to help marketers using Display & Video 360 see the steps their impressions took before arriving on a publisher’s site.

Together, these initiatives give partners greater visibility into digital advertising. This can help inform buying decisions, improve bid transparency and strengthen fraud detection. Still, we recognize that there is more work to do.
A continued commitment
Confirming Gross Revenue is one part of our efforts to address concerns over lack of transparency that we have heard from publishers, agencies, advertisers and regulators. Over the next few months, we’ll continue to work with the industry on shaping this new solution and, more broadly, initiatives to instill more confidence in online advertising. Bringing greater transparency to advertisers, agencies and publishers is core to our approach. We welcome participation from others who want to work together to advance an ad-supported internet that works for everyone.
9:01
Three new Maps updates to help plan your next adventure
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Who’s got those summertime feelings? If the warmer months have you feeling extra inspired — and excited — to get outside and explore with friends, Google Maps can help you transform the way you coordinate plans and stay connected this summer and beyond. Whether you’re checking out top landmarks in a new city, planning to hop on your bike, or hanging out with friends around town, these updates have you covered.

Experience global landmarks in a whole new way

The summer travel season is in full swing, and people are turning to Google Maps to plan their trips and find helpful information about places they plan to visit — like what time a place is open and how crowded it is. To help you with the trip-planning process, we’re bringing photorealistic aerial views of nearly 100 of the world’s most popular landmarks in cities like Barcelona, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo right to Google Maps. This is the first step toward launching immersive view — an experience that pairs AI with billions of high definition Street View, satellite and aerial imagery.

Say you’re planning a trip to New York. With this update, you can get a sense for what the Empire State Building is like up close so you can decide whether or not you want to add it to your trip itinerary. To see an aerial view wherever they’re available, search for a landmark in Google Maps and head to the Photos section.

See photorealistic aerial views of iconic landmarks, right from Google Maps

Get ready for your ride with new cycling route information

More people are hopping on their bikes! Over the past few months, cycling has increased by more than 40% worldwide – which is no surprise given that the warmer weather and high gas prices have people opting for more sustainable transportation choices. Google Maps has provided cycling directions for over 12 years thanks to AI paired with data from cities, trusted cartographic partners and feedback from the Google Maps community. With our new cycling route information, you will soon be able to easily compare bike routes and see even more granular details (when this data is available) to prepare for the ride ahead.

Just get cycling directions to any destination. In addition to seeing the elevation along your route, you’ll also know if you’ll encounter heavy car traffic, stairs or steep hills. You’ll also be able to get a highly detailed breakdown of the route itself so you can know at a glance what type of road you’ll be biking on – like a major road vs. a local street. Gone are the days of unknowingly pedaling up a strenuous hill or on a route with more car traffic than you’re comfortable with.
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Be prepared for your ride with more detailed cycling route information

Stay connected and safer on the go

More social outings means more time juggling meetups with friends and family. With new location sharing notifications, you can see when a loved one has arrived or left a place so you can more easily coordinate schedules and have peace of mind. Say you’re headed to a concert with a group of friends. If they’ve already chosen to share their location with you, you can set a notification for the concert venue’s address so you can see when they’ve arrived and meet up quickly. You could also set a notification to see when they’ve left the venue — just in case you get split up. One of the ways I plan to use this feature this summer is when I set out on my solo hiking trip. By asking my sister to set a notification for me so she can see when I’ve returned to the trailhead parking lot gives me peace of mind that someone will know that I made it back safely.

We’ve built this feature with privacy at the forefront. Notifications can only be set for someone who has already chosen to share their location with you. The person who’s shared their location with you will receive multiple reminders to let them know — including both a push notification in the Maps app and an email, along with recurring monthly emails. As always, you’re in control: you choose to stop sharing your location or block someone from setting notifications altogether.

Stay coordinated and have peace of mind with new location sharing notifications

Frequent reminders and strong controls: block notifications or stop sharing altogether

Aerial views of landmarks and location sharing notifications are rolling out now globally on Google Maps on Android, iOS and desktop, with cycling route information launching in the coming weeks in the hundreds of cities where cycling directions are available.
July 25, 2022
18:00
New Google Workspace features for Android's larger screens
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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After a long day, I love to lounge on the couch, tablet in hand, checking my emails and adding to my to-do lists while watching TV. It’s a great way to stay productive and get things done — and it’s about to get even easier to use your tablet to stay up to date.

Earlier this year Android introduced 12L, a software update to make devices with bigger screens, like tablets, easier to use. At I/O, we shared plans to update more than 20 Google apps on tablets to take full advantage of the extra space on those bigger screens.

To get started, today we are making Google Workspace apps even better on Android’s larger screens with updates to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep.
Drag and drop files for better productivity
One of the best features to get things done on tablets is multitasking across two windows at once. So we’ve built out new ways to use Google Workspace apps when you have two screens open on your large-screen device.

You can now easily drag text or images from apps, such as Chrome or Sheets, and drop that content right into an existing document or spreadsheet cell.

In Google Drive, quickly upload files by dragging and dropping them into the app. You can also add links to Drive files by dragging the file into an open app like Keep.

And in Keep, you can effortlessly insert images saved in your Keep notes into other apps by dragging them out from the image carousel.
Open Drive side by side to see more information
In Drive, sometimes you need to drill down into folders to see the file you need. To get better insights into your Drive files, you can now open two Drive windows side-by-side. Simply select the three-dot menu on any Drive file and tap on the "Open in new window" option. This helps you get the information you need without losing your current view or needing to hit the back button multiple times.
Save time by using keyboard shortcuts
Tablets are often connected to keyboards and used as an alternative to laptops. If you are using an attached keyboard to help type, you can now use simple and familiar keyboard shortcuts, such as select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo, to quickly navigate around Drive, Docs and Slides, without needing to slow down and take your hands off the keys.

These updates will roll out to Android’s large screens with Google Workspace and personal Google Accounts over the next few weeks. And stay tuned for more updates as we continue to add new features for Google apps on Android’s larger screens.
July 07, 2022
17:00
54 Doodle for Google winners showcase self-care
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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In January, we asked students across the U.S. to submit their ideas for the 14th annual Doodle for Google contest. This year, we invited K-12 students to answer the prompt “I care for myself by…” through their art.

We were amazed by the submissions we received. Across ages, students showcased how they cultivate self-care practices in thoughtful and intentional ways. Young artists shared a range of helpful strategies including spending time in nature, being active, taking part in creative hobbies and spending time with loved ones. Given the challenging nature of the past few years, we were really inspired to see the many ways students have been nurturing their spirits and building resilience.

Today, we’re announcing our 54 state and territory winners. To celebrate their achievements, we sent each of the 54 students Google hardware and swag, and held celebrations in their hometowns to showcase their artwork.

Head to doodle4google.com to see the full gallery of all 54 state and territory winners and vote for your favorite Doodles by July 12th. Your vote helps determine who will go on to become one of our five national finalists — one of whom will become our national winner.

Congratulations again to the 2022 Doodle for Google state and territory winners!
July 06, 2022
20:00
An update on our work in responsible innovation
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Over the last year, we’ve seen artificial intelligence (AI) systems advance our work in areas like inclusive product development and support for small businesses and job seekers. We’ve also seen its potential to be helpful in addressing major global needs — like forecasting and planning humanitarian responses to natural disasters, addressing global environmental challenges, and delivering groundbreaking scientific research.

AI is exciting — both from a technical perspective and when considering its underlying social benefits. And yet, to fully realize AI’s potential, it must be developed responsibly, thoughtfully and in a way that gives deep consideration to core ethical questions. After all, the promise of great reward inherently involves risk — and we’re committed to ethically developing AI in a way that is socially beneficial.

Our AI Principles guide how we integrate AI research into Google’s products and services and engage with external partners. Internally, we implement the Principles, every day, through education programs, AI ethics reviews and technical tools. There are more than 200 Googlers across the company whose full-time roles are to operationalize responsible practices for developing AI.

We’re committed to sharing our lessons learned so others across the industry can learn, too (see our posts from 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, and our in-depth annual AI Principles Progress Updates).
Internal education
It’s important to craft principles, but putting them into practice requires both training and constant dialogue.

Launched in late 2019, to date more than 32,000 employees across Google have engaged in AI Principles training. Given our growing understanding of effective hybrid and remote learning, we continue to expand and modify the courses. For example, this year we adapted our popular four-part Tech Ethics self-study course to a one-part deep dive based on Googler feedback. Similarly, we launched the Responsible Innovation Challenge — taken by more than 13,000 employees — as a series of engaging online puzzles, quizzes and games to raise awareness of the AI Principles and measure employees' retention of ethical concepts, such as avoiding unfair bias.

We also piloted a new Moral Imagination workshop, a two-day, live-video immersive set of activities for product teams to walk through the ethical implications of potential AI products. To date, 248 Googlers across 23 Google product and research teams have taken the workshop, resulting in deeper, ongoing AI ethics consultations on product development.

As we develop internal training, we’re committed to incorporating the input of both Googlers and outside experts. This year, when we launched a live workshop to educate our internal user experience and product teams on the concept of AI explainability, we first piloted the workshop with outside experts at the international Trust, Transparency and Control Labs summit in May.

We believe this approach complements programs like our internal AI Principles Ethics Fellows program, a six-month fellowship that this year involved Googlers from 17 different global offices. We also just launched a version of the fellowship program tailored for senior leaders.
Putting the Principles into practice
Our approach to responsible AI innovation starts early, before teams plan a new AI application. When a team starts to build a machine learning (ML) model, dataset or product feature, they can attend office hours with experts to ask questions and engage in analyses using responsible AI tools that Google develops, or seek adversarial proactive fairness (ProFair) testing. Pre-launch, a team then can request an AI Principles review.

AI Principles reviewers are in place to implement a structured assessment to identify, measure and analyze potential risk of harm. The risk rating focuses on the extent to which people and society may be impacted if solutions did not exist or were to fail. Reviewers also consider a growing body of lessons from thousands of previous AI Principles reviews conducted since 2019.

When reviewers find medium- to high-risk issues, such as product exclusion or a potential privacy or security concern, they work with the teams to address these issues. Reviews either result in an approval, approval with conditions or recommendations, or non-approval. New AI applications that might affect multiple product areas are escalated to the Advanced Technology Review Council — a group of senior research, product and business leaders who make the final decision.

To supplement the expertise of our internal AI Principles group members, we often incorporate trusted external advisors. For example, a team was incorporating AI to help build a near real-time dataset to enable reliable measurement of global land cover for environmental and social benefit. They submitted for AI Principles review and then collaborated with the review team to design several safeguards. The review team also worked with third-party experts at the World Resources Institute and BSR. Following the example of the European Commission’s Copernicus mission’s open data and services terms, the product team applied open data principles, making the ML model’s training and test data used to create the dataset, as well as the dataset itself, freely available under CC-BY-4.0, and the model available on Github under an Apache 2.0 license. We recently released a Codelab for developers to walk through the ethics review process and apply learnings to their own projects.
10:25
Google’s AI Principles Review Process: How we assess new AI research and applications for alignment with our Principles

Projects such as research methods for evaluating misinformation and datasets that need more diverse representation tend to receive conditions to proceed toward a launch. A recurring condition given to teams is to engage in ProFair testing with people from a diversity of backgrounds, often in partnership with our central Product Inclusion and Equity team. This year, the number of ProFair consultations increased annually by 100%. A recurring approach is to create and release detailed documentation in the form ofdata cards and model cards for transparency and accountability. The number of AI Principles reviews with model or data card mitigations increased 68% in the last year.

As we’ve stated, we’ve embedded customized AI governance and review committees within certain product areas (like Cloud and Health). As a result, both the Health Ethics Committee and Cloud make decisions with specialized expertise, such as establishing policies for potentially winding down the Covid-19 Community Mobility Reports and the Covid-19 Forecaster, respectively, if situations arise that might cause the data quality to degrade. This year, we extended this specialized approach and created a dedicated consumer hardware AI Principles review process.

It’s important to note that product teams across Google engage in everyday responsible AI practices even if not in formal reviews. YouTube is leveraging a more targeted mix of classifiers, keywords in additional languages, and information from regional analysts. This work is a result of collaboration with our researchers who focus on new tools for AI fairness. The Photos team participated in an Equitable AI Research Roundtable (EARR) with a group of external advisors on potential fairness considerations. And the Gboard team deployed a new, privacy-by-design approach to federated machine learning. These examples did not stem from AI Principles reviews, but reflect the adoption of the AI Principles across Google.
Tools and research
In early 2022, to offer easier access to our publications on responsible AI, we curated an external collection of more than 200 research papers focused on the topic. We continue to launch, refine and consolidate technical resources, including proactive tools like:
- The Monk Skin Tone Scale, developed by Harvard University Sociology Professor Dr. Ellis Monk. The scale offers a spectrum of skin tones from all around the world for use in evaluating and addressing fairness considerations in AI.
- The Know Your Data tool (KYD), which helps developers with tasks such as quickly identifying issues in fairness, and which has integrated the Monk Scale to help developers examine skin tone data for unfair bias.
- The Language Interpretability Tool, or LIT, to help developers probe an ML model, now with a new method to better understand, test and debug its behaviors.
- Counterfactual Logit Pairing, which helps ensure that a model’s prediction doesn’t change when sensitive attributes or identity terms referenced in an example are removed or replaced, now added to the TensorFlow Model Remediation Library (see the research paper for more).
- And to help teams measure their progress against the AI Principles, we’re piloting an internal tool to help teams assess how ML models were developed in accordance with emerging smart practices, previous reviews, and our growing body of ethics, fairness, and human-rights work.
Many responsible AI tools developed by researchers are actively in use by product teams at Google. For example, Photos, Pixel and Image Search are leveraging the Monk Skin Tone Scale.
External engagement
Ensuring the responsible development and deployment of AI is an ongoing process. We believe it should be a collaborative one, too, so we remain deeply engaged with governments across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the U.S. to advocate for AI regulation that supports innovation around the world for businesses of all sizes. We share our approach to responsible AI and recommendations, comments and responses to open requests for information. We also initiated and are leading an effort with the International Standards Organization (ISO/IEC PWI TS 17866) to share best practice guidance for the development of AI.

As these efforts look toward the future, Responsible AI needs to be supported across industries today. So for current Google Cloud Partners and customers seeking best practices to help with the responsible implementation and AI governance in their organization, we added responsible AI prerequisites to the Google Cloud Partner Advantage ML Specialization, including a newly-released training, “Applying AI Principles with Google Cloud.”

To help nurture the next generation of responsible AI practitioners, we launched a free introduction to AI and machine learning for K-12 students. And we continue to develop an external Responsible Innovation Fellowship program in the U.S. for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Our approach to responsible innovation also means keeping an eye on emerging markets where AI is being developed. We launched a new AI research center in Bulgaria and expanded support for African entrepreneurs whose businesses use AI through our Startup Accelerator Africa.

The examples we’re sharing today are a sampling of our ongoing commitment to responsible innovation. They also reflect our ability to change and keep setting a high bar for trustworthy AI standards for our company. We remain dedicated to sharing helpful information on Google’s journey, as recommended practices for responsible AI continue to emerge and evolve.
2:00
Supporting news innovation in the Asia Pacific region
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News organizations in Asia Pacific are at the forefront of innovation when it comes to connecting with readers and exploring new business models. We’ve seen this first-hand, working with partners across the region and heard great ideas for encouraging a more sustainable news industry.

To support this innovation, today we’re pleased to announce the third Asia Pacific Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge, as part of our ongoing commitment to support the news industry around the world.

Applications are open to news organizations of all sizes for projects that focus on innovation in the news industry. Previous rounds of the Innovation Challenge supported more than 30 publishers across APAC to develop sustainable business models by diversifying revenue streams and increasing audience engagement.

Some past recipients include:
- The News Minute in India launched a membership program to turn fans into members.
- South Korea’s Busan Daily used AI to gain a new understanding of audience preferences and introduced personalization to onsite search, deepening engagement and increasing conversions.
- The Conversation in Australia developed new community standards and tools to make conversations on its platform safer, more inclusive and constructive.
- In Pakistan, The Current built a new membership model and tested an alternate stream of revenue for digital news startups.
- In Japan, Asahi Shimbun focused on tipping and donations as new means of reader revenue.
- Kumparan in Indonesia created a donation process so people can pledge money directly from news platforms.
- The women-run rural news outlet Khabar Lahariya in India made the transition to digital, reaching new readers and building a stronger business.
10:25
How the Innovation Challenge works

The Asia Pacific GNI Innovation Challenge is open to news organizations of all sizes that aim to produce original journalism and whose projects focus on innovation to create a more sustainable and diverse news sector. Projects will be evaluated against several criteria, including: impact on the news community, innovation, feasibility and a willingness to share knowledge. Applicants should be based in the Asia Pacific region and have their principal place of business there. For more information on eligible projects, criteria and funding, see our website.

How to apply

Applications are open until August 23 at 11:59 PM SGT and can be submitted via our website in English, Bengali, Chinese (traditional), Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean or Thai. We’ll be hosting a virtual town hall on Wednesday, July 13 at 2:00 PM SGT to answer applicants’ questions.

The GNI Innovation Challenges have been driving innovation in news since 2018 and have funded over 200 projects in 47 countries globally. We want to help empower news organizations across the APAC region to pioneer new thinking to support quality journalism. We look forward to receiving your application!
July 05, 2022
13:00
Google News Showcase continues to grow in the UK
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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At the beginning of last year, we brought Google News Showcase, our product experience and licensing programme for news publishers, to the U.K. It’s designed to help publishers engage more deeply with their readers – and to help readers find, follow and support the news organisations covering the issues that matter to them. We continue to learn, update and expand the product, and we’ve seen strong, steady numbers – both in terms of the number of publishers signing on for the product in the UK, and how readers are interacting with the content.
More publishers join News Showcase in the UK
We’ve negotiated and signed deals with almost 240 news titles in the U.K. since launching News Showcase. The most recent is The Guardian, building on our longstanding work together on digital innovation for the future of news.

Keith Underwood, CEO of The Guardian, commented: “We are pleased to have expanded our partnership with Google to make our journalism available in digital, video and other formats in ways that will engage even wider audiences. This new deal supports further investment in journalism and will bring a new audience back to our sites where we can build deeper relationships of enduring value.”

Local news publishers make up 93% of the titles who’ve signed up to News Showcase in the U.K. to curate news in new ways and deepen their engagement with online audiences. These include Grantham Journal, NationalWorld.com, Reach’s Belfast Live and Clear Sky’s North Devon Gazette.

As Mark Thompson, Editor of National World, says: "We believe it is vital that our stories, videos and images are given the value they deserve so that we can produce ever more insightful, reliable and relevant journalism for audiences all over the UK. News Showcase has enabled our teams based in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to display their impressive work on a great platform and in a meaningful way.”

Simon Bax, CEO of Clear Sky, also tells us: "Joining the Google News Showcase has had a dramatic and immediate effect as it has enabled us to hire an additional journalist, has elevated our standing within the community and has increased the team's self-assurance."

We recently announced that we’re making it easier to find local publishers in Google News Showcase by bringing their panels into the local section of Google News. Through our partnerships with local news publishers in the U.K., we’ve seen first-hand how local news is an essential way for readers to connect to their communities and ensure they get the news that impacts their day-to-day lives.
Supporting publishers and journalists in the UK
News Showcase is one element of our broader investment in news and journalism in the U.K. We spent more than $18 million on training, partnerships and programming with news organisations and other news industry partners between 2018 to 2020, and we’ve trained 16,500 journalists and journalism students since 2015.

We’re proud to fund the Journalism AI fellowship, organised by the media think-tank Polis at the London School of Economics, and to support organisations like Headlines Network who are providing essential mental health resources for journalists in England and Wales. We’re continuing our support for the University of Central Lancashire's Journalism innovation and Leadership (JIL) Programme for a third year and recently announced the Innovation Challenge for Europe, where small and medium-sized news organisations can apply for funding to stimulate innovation in news.

We’re dedicated to continuing our contribution to and collaboration with the news ecosystem, supporting the open web and continuing to provide access to information in the UK and elsewhere.
July 01, 2022
22:00
Protecting people’s privacy on health topics
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Protecting our users’ privacy and securing their data is core to Google’s work. That’s why we design products to help people keep their personal information private, safe, and secure — with easy-to-use tools and built-in protections.

Privacy matters to people — especially around topics such as their health. Given that these issues apply to healthcare providers, telecommunications companies, banks, tech platforms, and many more, we know privacy protections cannot be solely up to individual companies or states acting individually. That’s why we’ve long advocated for a comprehensive and nationwide U.S. privacy law that guarantees protections for everyone, and we’re pleased to see recent progress in Congress.

But we haven’t waited for a law to take action. We understand that people rely on Google to keep their personal data secure. We’ve long been committed to this work, and today we're sharing additional steps we're taking to protect user privacy around health issues.
Protecting user privacy
We offer a variety of easy-to-use privacy tools and settings that put people in control of their data. This is particularly important to people around health topics, which is why our data policies include a number of restrictions. In addition, we have protections around:
- Location History: Location History is a Google account setting that is off by default, and for those that turn it on, we provide simple controls like auto-delete so users can easily delete parts, or all, of their data at any time. Some of the places people visit — including medical facilities like counseling centers, domestic violence shelters, abortion clinics, fertility centers, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, cosmetic surgery clinics, and others — can be particularly personal. Today, we’re announcing that if our systems identify that someone has visited one of these places, we will delete these entries from Location History soon after they visit. This change will take effect in the coming weeks.
- User Data on Apps: Google Play has strict protocols to protect user privacy — including policies that prohibit developers from selling personal and sensitive user data and a requirement that they handle that data securely and only for purposes directly related to operating the app. To further promote transparency and control for users, we also recently introduced Play’s new data safety section that developers use to give people more information about how apps collect, share, and secure their data. For Google Fit and Fitbit, we give users settings and tools to easily access and control their personal data, including the option to change and delete personal information, at any time. For example, Fitbit users who have chosen to track their menstrual cycles in the app can currently delete menstruation logs one at a time, and we will be rolling out updates that let users delete multiple logs at once.
- Law Enforcement Demands for User Data: Google has a long track record of pushing back on overly broad demands from law enforcement, including objecting to some demands entirely. We take into account the privacy and security expectations of people using our products, and we notify people when we comply with government demands, unless we’re prohibited from doing so or lives are at stake — such as in an emergency situation. In fact, we were the first major company to regularly share the number and types of government demands we receive in a Transparency Report. We remain committed to protecting our users against improper government demands for data, and we will continue to oppose demands that are overly broad or otherwise legally objectionable. We also will continue to support bipartisan legislation, such as the NDO Fairness Act recently passed by the House of Representatives, to reduce secrecy and increase transparency around government data demands.
We’re committed to delivering robust privacy protections for people who use our products, and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen and improve these protections. We support Congressional efforts to reach bipartisan agreement on nationwide privacy protections that move the burden of privacy off individuals and establish good data practices across the board. In the meantime, we will continue our focus on securing our products and protecting the privacy of our users around the world.
18:00
A milestone for King's Cross: a local innovation hub
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Over the last few years, King’s Cross has truly transformed, becoming a thriving hub of innovation and creativity. The transformation is a sign of the UK’s strengths, with its incredible local talent and strong history of leading technological and scientific progress. These strengths inspired us to invest here in King's Cross, in one of our most ambitious developments to date.

Today, together with local MP, Keir Starmer, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, leader of Camden Council Georgia Gould, and our building partners, we celebrated a major milestone in the construction of our new King’s Cross office – and in our long-standing commitment to the UK – as we placed the final beam on our new development.

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party and MP for Holborn and St Pancras said:

“It’s fantastic to attend not only as the leader of the Labour Party and local MP but as a proud local resident of more than 25 years. Congratulations to Google on your magnificent new building, and for all it represents – a seizing of opportunity, harnessing of talent, the creation of good, sustainable jobs and an immense contribution to our community. You’re showing what can be achieved when forward looking local government partners with the ingenuity of the private sector.”

We have long believed that creativity is spurred by environments that promote connection and wellbeing. This is more important than ever as we adapt to a future of flexible, hybrid working. Our new King’s Cross building will be equipped with new workplace technologies to help global and remote teams collaborate more effectively, build relationships, learn from colleagues and dream up new ways to solve complex challenges.

It will also bea place for community and connection thanks to the ground floor retail and community spaces, which are being curated with — and for — the local community. In the coming weeks, in partnership with more than 30 youth organisations in Camden, we’re excited to open our doors to 500 local young people for a week of taster sessions to inspire school students and job seekers with careers in technology, as well as more than 100 local work experience students.

Innovation extends to the design of the building itself, which is playing an important role in helping us to achieve our goal of going carbon free by 2030. We’re pioneering new technologies that will make our King’s Cross office our most ambitious smart building to date, including a system of 13,500 interconnected devices that will work together to improve energy efficiency in real time.

While the doors of our new King’s Cross development won’t open until 2024, incredible work is already underway nearby. The neighbourhood is home to thousands of our engineers working on products like Android, Wear OS, Search and Google Business Profiles, which are used the world over. In fact, many of the team behind some of our newest products – to be released later this year – are based right here in King’s Cross. We look forward to growing these teams and being a part of the local community’s future growth and development.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan commented:

“London has built a reputation as a world leader in technology and innovation, so I’m delighted to see Google reaffirming its commitment to London with the first wholly owned and designed Google building outside of the United States. I was lucky enough to be present for the original ground-breaking at this site back in 2017. So, it’s incredible to see the progress that’s been made since then on this hugely ambitious project.

"My ambition, as Mayor, is to build a better London for everyone – one that is fairer, greener and more prosperous for all. And this magnificent building is a shining example of confidence in our city.”
1:55
Google and U.S. developers find agreement over Google Play store
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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The Android app economy has helped create nearly two million American jobs; developers around the world have earned more than $120 billion using the Google Play Store. We’re proud that Google Play helps developers build great apps and rewards them for doing so. And we know that a successful ecosystem must benefit both developers and consumers, which is why we have rules of the road to keep the store secure, protect privacy and prevent fraud. While we strive to make Google Play the best platform for everyone, Android also provides consumers and developers the opportunity to use other app store options.

Today, we’re pleased to share a proposed agreement that will help ensure that both developers and consumers can continue to benefit from Google Play. Google and a group of U.S. developers have reached a proposed settlement that allows both parties to move forward and avoids years of uncertain and distracting litigation.

As part of the settlement, we’re establishing a $90 million fund to support U.S. developers who earned two million dollars or less in annual revenue through Google Play during each year from 2016-2021. A vast majority of U.S. developers who earned revenue through Google Play will be eligible to receive money from this fund, if they choose. If the Court approves the settlement, developers that qualify will be notified and allowed to receive a distribution from the fund.

In addition to the fund, we’re committing to maintain a number of existing practices and implement new benefits that help developers innovate and communicate with their users:
- To continue to provide developers with a tiered pricing model, we’ll maintain Google’s 15% commission rate for the first $1 million in annual revenue earned from the Google Play Store for U.S. developers, which we implemented in 2021.
- We’re revising our Developer Distribution Agreement to make it clear that developers can continue to use contact information obtained in-app to communicate with users out-of-app, including about subscription offers or lower-cost offerings on a rival app store or the developer’s website.
- In new versions of Android, Google will maintain certain changes implemented in Android 12 that make it even easier for people to use other app stores on their devices, while being careful not to compromise the safety measures Android has in place.
- To showcase independent and small startup developers building unique high-quality apps, we’re creating an “Indie Apps Corner” that will appear on the apps tab on the U.S. Google Play homepage and shine a spotlight on these developers.
These commitments, including the $90 million fund, build on a number of ways we already support developers, such as providing tools that help developers build great apps, lower their costs, and grow their businesses. In fact, compared to other prominent digital content stores, we provide developers more ways to interact with their customers.

Finally, we’ve heard developers want to understand more about how Google Play operates, which is why we’ve agreed to publish annual transparency reports. The reports will share information about the Google Play Store, including statistics such as apps removed from Google Play, account terminations, and other data regarding how users interact with Google Play.

We’re pleased that we worked with the developers to propose this agreement for the Court’s approval. As the agreement notes, we remain confident in our arguments and case, but this settlement will avoid protracted and unnecessary litigation with developers, whom we see as vital partners in the Android ecosystem. We remain steadfast in our commitment to building thriving, open platforms that empower consumers and help developers succeed.
June 30, 2022
19:30
New Google Workspace features to help solo business owners
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Over the past few years, we’ve seen more people forging their own path and turning their personal passions into businesses. These individual business owners, sometimes called “solopreneurs,” wear many hats as they run and grow their businesses: salesperson, marketer, accountant, the list goes on.

That’s why one year ago, we launched Google Workspace Individual as a new offering to help these solo business owners grow their businesses with the familiar apps they’re likely already using in their personal life. We’ve heard from customers that Google Workspace Individual helps them focus their time on doing what they love — like meeting with customers and designing personalized services — and less time on recurring tasks like scheduling appointments and sending emails. Since launch, we’ve delivered a number of improvements to provide even more value to customers, and today we’re announcing what’s coming next – electronic signatures right within Google Docs.
Coming soon: Easily sign important documents right in Google Docs
Whether you’re an event planner or digital creator, it can be a challenge to stay on top of contracts and customer agreements that need to be signed as you’re constantly context switching and jumping between different apps to get work done. That’s why we’re natively integrating eSignature in Google Docs, so you can quickly execute agreements from the familiar interface of Docs without having to switch tabs or apps.

Coming soon: Easily request electronic signatures directly in Google Docs

eSignature in Google Docs will take advantage of the same secure-by-design infrastructure and built-in protections Google uses to help secure your information and safeguard your privacy. Let’s take a look at how eSignature can help you create agreements:
- Collaborate in documents: Collaborate on changes directly in Google Docs with comments and suggestions — no need to export the file to send a draft contract over email.
- Add fields to documents: Within the familiar Google Docs interface, you can easily drag and drop signature and date fields in branded documents you create.
- Request a signature: Once you resolve all comments and suggestions, requesting a signature is as easy as sharing a file in Drive.
- Add signatures: When ready to sign, the signee can easily add their signature, no downloads needed. Once the signature is added, a completed PDF contract is emailed to both parties.
- Monitor and track progress: Quickly see the status of pending signatures and easily find completed, signed contracts.
- Create copies of contracts: For signature workflows that need to be repeated regularly, you can streamline the process by creating copies of existing contracts and then modifying as needed.
eSignature in Google Docs is coming soon in Beta to Google Workspace Individual users and is the latest in a series of improvements we’ve announced for the subscription in the past year. If you’re already using a dedicated eSignature solution, Google Workspace integrates with a number of leading providers. Learn more about how these eSignature and other integrations can help you optimize your workspace on our blog post.
ICYMI: Google Workspace Individual updates from this past yearEmail marketing updates for engaging campaigns
For any business, it’s vital to connect with customers and prospects, both on a one-to-one basis and at a large scale. Google Workspace Individual makes it easy to do both, so you can easily send communications like monthly newsletters and also offer items like scheduled consultations.

Create and send customized marketing emails from Gmail

To help you reach many customers at once, last year we added a way to run simple email campaigns directly in Gmail. We started first by providing professionally designed templates that you can customize with your own branding and images in just a few clicks. Then earlier this year, we added multi-send, which allows you to deliver individual emails to a large number of recipients with a unique unsubscribe link for each recipient. With the combination of these improvements, it’s easy to make communications as targeted as you like, because you can create multiple email mailing lists within Google Contacts for different audiences and easily tailor the message to each audience. Gmail layouts and multi-send are generally available in Google Workspace Individual today.
Appointment scheduling updates for easier bookings
For scheduling in-person appointments or virtual meetings, Google Calendar helps streamline the appointment scheduling process and avoid back-and-forth communication to find a time that works. Since launching, we’ve made a number of enhancements that improve the experience for both the business owner and scheduler, including the ability to:
- Help prevent no-shows by customizing the timing of reminder emails and having users verify their email before booking for added security.
- Reflect your operational needs by setting flexible appointment durations, adding buffer time between appointments and limiting the number of bookings per day.
- Easily update your availability with one-off exceptions like regional holidays and customizable start and end dates.
Get your own professional booking page that stays up to date

Customized appointment scheduling with the above features are generally available in Google Workspace Individual today, on the web and your mobile device.
Google Meet updates for your customer and partner calls
Once an appointment is on the books and it’s time to connect, Google Meet provides an easy way for you to deepen customer and partner relationships through secure video meetings. Helpful features in Meet ensure you can be clearly seen and heard. Noise cancellation removes background distractions like barking dogs, while low-light mode automatically adjusts your video in poorly lit settings. Here are a few notable Meet announcements from this past year:
- Mimic taking your call from a real-life cafe or condo with immersive backgrounds.
- Filter out the echoes in spaces with hard surfaces so that you can have conference-room audio quality whether you’re in a basement, a kitchen, or a big empty room.
- Clearly see participants on a call while you’re presenting or multi-tasking with picture-in-picture on Chrome browsers.
- Review your forecast or business proposal with meetings directly in Docs, Sheets and Slides.
Quickly join a Google Meet call from Google Docs, Sheets and Slides
Sign up today to take advantage of promotional pricing
Save 20% until October 2022[3bdee8]when you sign up for Google Workspace Individual today or learn more about Google Workspace Individual on our website.
19:00
Google for Mexico: Economic recovery through technology
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During the pandemic, different technological tools allowed us to stay connected, collaborate and find the best responses to overcome the challenges in front of us.

As we move forward, we want to become Mexico's trusted technology ally and contribute to the country with programs, products and initiatives that promote economic, social and cultural development. Today, at our second Google for Mexico event, we aim to accelerate the country's economic recovery, helping people find more and better jobs, making it easier for businesses to grow, reduce the gender gap and promote financial inclusion.
Improving Mexicans’ lives through technology
In collaboration with the Ministry of Public Education, we helped students across the country to continue their school year by providing more than 20 million free Google for Education accounts. We have trained more than 1.9 million people in Mexico through Grow with Google and Google.org grants. And we have worked together with the Ministry of Tourism to create a joint strategy to digitize the travel sector, and partnered with the Ministry of Economy on gender gap reduction projects and a technological innovation program for manufacturing companies in the southeast region of the country.

According to a study we conducted with AlphaBeta, in 2021 we estimated that companies in the country obtained annual economic benefits worth more than $7.7 billion dollars from Google products (Google Search & Ads, AdSense, Google Play and YouTube), approximately three times the impact in 2018 ($2.3 billion dollars).

Today, more people in the world are using their smartphones to save credit and debit cards and to buy new things. Over the last few years, we have seen rapid digitization of essentials that we carry with us every day, such as car keys, digital IDs and vaccine records.

That’s why we are announcing that Mexico is part of the global launch of Google Wallet on Android and Wear OS. Google Wallet will initially launch with support for payment cards and loyalty passes and eventually expand to new experiences like transit and event tickets, boarding passes, car keys and digital IDs.
$10 million from Google.org
Mexico's Southeast region is home to more than 50% of the country's indigenous population; it is also a place affected by poverty and with big social vulnerability. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, is allocating $10 million — the largest amount of funding provided by the organization in the country — to this region’s transformation. This initiative will mostly benefit women during the upcoming three years, supporting programs focused on promoting economic opportunities that accelerate financial inclusion, reducing the gender gap.

Women from Mexico's Southeast region will benefit from Google.org 10 million dollars fund through local and regional NGOs.
Technology as a booster for jobs
In 2019, during the first edition of Google for Mexico, we announced the launch of Google Career Certificates alongside a grant of $1.1 million for International Youth Foundation Mexico (IYF). Through this grant, IYF has trained 1,200 young people. Seventy percent of the graduates managed to get a new job, while the participants who were already employed raised their income by more than 30%. To expand this initiative, and as part of the $10M fund to support Mexico’s Southeast region, we are announcing a $2 million grant to support IYF to take their project into the region and train 2300 women from the community.
Supporting the news industry
In late 2020, we launched Google News Showcase, an initiative that offers a better experience for readers and news editors. Google News Showcase is a licensing program to pay publishers for high-quality content. This program will help participating publishers monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience that lets people go deeper into more complex stories and stay informed about different issues and interests.

Today we are announcing the beginning of negotiations with local media to soon launch a News Showcase in México. We are excited to continue contributing to the country’s media ecosystem, and offer our users relevant, truthful and quality information on local, national and international news.

Google News Showcase will bring a better experience for readers and news publishers in Mexico.
Preserving and promoting native languages
Every 14 days, a language becomes extinct. This means that out of the 7,000 existing tongues in the world, more than 3,000 are in danger of vanishing. To support the efforts of groups dedicated to language preservation, Google Arts & Culture is collaborating with partners around the world to launch Woolaroo, an experiment that uses machine learning to identify objects and show them in native languages.

Through their mobile cameras, users can take a photo or check their surroundings to receive a translation, and its correct pronunciation. In the beginning, Woolaroo could do this in 10 languages, and today seven more have been added, including Maya and Tepehua.

Woolaroo, a language preservation experiment powered by machine learning, will include ancestral languages Maya and Tepehua.

At Google, we believe technology is the fuel to be helpful for Mexicans across the country, providing intelligent solutions for millions of people.
18:00
Mahima Pushkarna is making data easier to understand
» ‎ The Official Google Blog

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Five years ago, information designer Mahima Pushkarna joined Google to make data easier to understand. As a senior interaction designer on the People + AI Research (PAIR) team, she designed Data Cards to help everyone better understand the contexts of the data they are using. The Data Cards Playbook puts Google’s AI Principles into practice by providing opportunities for feedback, relevant explanations and appeal.

Recently, Mahima’s paper on Data Cards (co-written with Googlers Andrew Zaldivar and Oddur Kjartansson) was accepted to the ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability and Transparency (ACM FAccT). Let’s catch up with her and find out more about what brought her to Google.

How did your background lead you to the work you’re doing now?

I've always been fascinated by conjuring up solutions to things. The kind of questions that I’ve found meaningful are those that are never truly solved, or never have one correct answer. (The kind of questions that exasperate us!) Those have been the problems I am always drawn towards.

Early in my career, I realized the power in visualizing data, but spreadsheets were intimidating. I wondered how design could make communicating complexity easier. So I found myself in grad school in Boston studying information design and data visualization. I focused on how people experience data and how our relationships to each other and our contexts are mediated.

I joined Google Brain as the first visual designer in a full-time capacity, though I had no background in artificial intelligence or machine learning — this was the deep end of the pool. This opened up the space to explore human-AI interaction, and make AI more accessible to a broader class of developers. At PAIR, my work focuses on making information experiences more meaningful for developers, researchers and others who build AI technologies.

What’s it like to have a unique background as a designer on a technical AI research team?

When you're an engineer and immersed in building technology, it's easy to assume everyone has a similar experience to your own — especially when you’re surrounded by peers who share your expertise. The actual user experience is very personal and varies drastically across users and contexts. That particular clarity is what designers bring to the table.

I’ve been able to engage my engineering and research colleagues with simple, people-centered questions right in the very beginning. How are people using an AI tool? What are they learning from it? Who else might be involved in the conversation? Do they have the proficiency we assume they have?

Pull quote: “Identifying what we don’t know about data is just as important as articulating what we do know.”

How did you begin designing Data Cards?

This project started when I was working on another visualization toolkit, Facets, to communicate the skews and imbalances within datasets to help machine learning practitioners make informed decisions. At the time, transparency was a moving target. Andrew, Tulsee Doshi and I started to proactively think about fairness in data, and saw a huge gap in the documentation of human decisions that dot a dataset's lifecycle.

This “invisible” information shapes how we use data and the outcomes of models trained on them. For example, a model trained on a dataset that captures age in just two or three buckets will have very different outcomes compared to a dataset with ten buckets. The goal of Data Cards is to make both visible and invisible information about datasets available and simple to understand, so people from a variety of backgrounds can knowledgeably make decisions.

As we cover in our FAccT paper, Andrew and Oddur and I arrived at two insights. The first is that identifying what we don’t know about data is just as important as articulating what we do know. In capturing these nuances, it is possible to narrow those knowledge gaps before even collecting data. The second thing that surprised us was the sheer number of people involved in a dataset’s life cycle, and how fragile knowledge is. Context is easily lost in translation both between and within teams, across documents, emails, people and time.

Data Cards stand on the shoulders of giants, like Data Sheets (Gebru, et al.) and Model Cards (Mitchell et al.). We've been immensely lucky to have had the support of many original authors on these seminal papers that have paved our path to FAccT.

How do you hope the paper is used across the tech industry?

Imagine a world in which finding verifiable information about the motivations of a dataset’s creators or performance of a model is as easy as learning about the ethical beliefs of a celebrity or the rating of a movie. Our vision for Data Cards is that they become a cultural mainstay — invisible, but their absence would be missed by ML practitioners.

In this paper, we introduce frameworks that other teams can use in their work. Alongside that, we’ve open-sourced the Data Cards Playbook, so we're trying to lower the barrier to access in every way possible.