Google assists Pakistanis with information and security ahead of elections

As Pakistanis approach the general elections on February 8 for National and Provincial Assemblies representatives, Google, in a press release, outlined how its products can assist during the polls in Pakistan.

“We are committed to working with government, industry, and civil society to connect voters with helpful and authoritative information, and keep our platforms safe from abuse,” it said.

Google emphasized its commitment to providing reliable election information, offering features that present data from trusted, nonpartisan organizations on voting processes. 

Google Search elevates authoritative information, and the homepage includes links guiding users on 'how to vote' and 'how to register to vote.'

On YouTube, the recommendation system prioritizes content from authoritative sources, ensuring users access high-quality election news, through the search results and the “Up Next” panel.

Google Trends aids in exploring voter interests, showcasing top queries and topics related to election parties such as the economy, taxes, and wages, among others.

The initiative under 'News Initiative' involved workshops for journalists, focusing on news verification, digital security, and using Google Trends for informed coverage.

Farhan Qureshi, Google’s Country Director for Pakistan, stated, “In the lead-up to the election, we have focused our efforts on supporting Pakistanis who are expected to cast their vote by helping them connect to useful and relevant election-related information online. We have also invested in the news ecosystem and trained journalists and newsrooms on reporting authoritative and credible news ahead of the election cycle. Recently, we launched a Google Trends Pakistan General Election page to make it easier for the media to find this data for their stories.”

Furthermore, Google disclosed the removal of over 8.1 million videos and 10 million channels worldwide from July to September 2023 due to violations of YouTube's community guidelines.

It said protecting the integrity of elections also means keeping its products and services safe from abuse.