Google takes on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Now that several vaccines have come out with promising results, vaccine misinformation is also growing. Tech giant Google is now zeroing in on this potential issue by implementing new strategies to coping with misinformation, according to a new blog post.

Users in the U.K. will now be able to use a new search feature on the platform in order to look up COVID-19 vaccine information, as well as authorized vaccines in their area. Starting there and rolling out across the world as vaccines get local clearance, the tool also gives users more information about the vaccines.

The company is also planning on building on its YouTube information plans first launched in March by adding authoritative information on vaccines.

Google is pledging $1.5 million to a new fact-checking initiative called the COVID-19 Vaccine Media Hub. The program is going to be developed to help journalists with fact-checking materials.

Its last effort is around removing misleading content, an initiative that it started during the pandemic but is now expanding to vaccine information. The company said that the misinformation policy will now cover information about vaccines, allowing Google to remove any information that contradicts the CDC or WHO guidelines.