Google Has a Plan to Get You Accurate Midterm Election Info

November 23, 2022 appsky audio, dominion, election, fox, google, jl, raritan

James Martin/CNET

    Google is updating search?as it looks to ensure accurate voting information ahead of the US midterm elections in November, the company said in a blog post Thursday.
    Through a new partnership, when you search for “how to vote” or make other voting-related inquiries (in both English and Spanish), Google will pull up information sourced from Democracy Works. The nonpartisan and nonprofit data provider collaborates with elections administrators to pull in key information on where and how to vote.?
    Google reiterated that it has an ongoing partnership with the Associated Press to present authoritative election results as information comes in. The search giant said it’s also boosting local elections information, from a “range of sources,” to give people updates on local and regional news. This feature is set to go live in the coming weeks.?
    Neither Google, Democracy Works nor the Associated Press immediately responded to requests for additional comment.
    YouTube, Google’s video arm, will also elevate authoritative news sources to help fight against election misinformation.
    The push by Google to promote accurate information ahead of the midterms comes as Meta?(parent to Facebook and Instagram),?Twitter and TikTok too have made commitments to combat misinformation.?
    Election misinformation has been an ongoing problem for Big Tech. Following the defeat of Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, the former president and his allies have boosted incorrect information regarding the voting process.
    Among other things, this has led to a $1.6 billon defamation lawsuit against Fox News by voting machine maker Dominion Voting. Dominion alleges Fox tried to boost ratings by disseminating a “manufactured storyline” claiming systems were rigged. Fox denies it. Dominion has also filed suits against former Trump personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell.
    Claims of rigged systems have been repeatedly debunked. But despite multiple recounts and audits, polls show that about?70% of Republican voters?wrongly believe the 2020 election was stolen. Officials have called the 2020 election the “most secure in American history.”