Google Unveils New Partnerships with AAP, Squiz Kids for Fact-Checking Initiatives

Google has unveiled new partnerships with the Australian Associated Press (AAP) and Squiz Kids to enhance its fact-checking initiatives.

Google said in a blog post, "This new phase of the partnership will increase AAP's speed and quantity of fact checks and put them on the screens of users in Australia and New Zealand along with their hundreds of news publisher subscribers."

Google's Collaboration with AAP

The collaboration with AAP expands their existing partnership, which dates back to 2019 when AAP launched its fact-checking unit.

Now, Google aims to boost AAP's fact-checking capacity, accelerating the pace and volume of their assessments. This collaboration will extend AAP's fact checks to a wider audience in Australia and New Zealand, reaching users through various channels, including hundreds of news publisher subscribers.

In this new phase of partnership, AAP FactCheck will scrutinize local misinformation and delve into global trends in false claims. Moreover, they will produce informative video explainers to contextualize each claim within a broader narrative.

To foster broader comprehension, AAP will translate their fact-checks into multiple languages, including Arabic, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese, making them accessible to diverse communities.

Google and Squiz Kids Introduce Squiz Kids

Recognizing the crucial role of education in combatting misinformation, Google has collaborated with Squiz Kids on Newshounds, a media literacy module designed to empower children to critically evaluate online content.

Newshounds equips students with the skills to "stop, think, and check" before accepting or sharing information online. Over 2000 classrooms across Australia and New Zealand have integrated Newshounds into their curriculum, aiding teachers in nurturing media-savvy students.

Additionally, Google has introduced "About this Image," a feature that enables users to swiftly verify the background and context of images encountered online.

This feature, accessible through Google Images results or the "About this result" tool in search results, provides users with valuable insights into the authenticity and origins of images.

Launched initially in English last year, the tool has now been rolled out in 40 additional languages, including Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese.

"About This Result"

Furthermore, Google has enhanced the "About this Result" feature, allowing users to gain comprehensive context about a website before visiting it. By clicking on the "more about this page" tab, users can access information sourced from Wikipedia or other reputable sources, providing insights into the website's credibility and content.

This feature, now available in 40 additional languages, including Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese, and Tagalog, empowers users to make informed decisions about online information.

Google said in a statement, "We are committed to building on these efforts and look forward to seeing the impact of these important partnerships."