2020 is behind us and moving forward, Google has few plans set for the year to create more engaging societies through areas like podcasts, diversity, fact checking, local news partnerships, tools for journalists and user experience design.
Coming to Google Podcasts, it will become a more unique platform which will help creators to connect with a global audience. This year, Google wants the world discover new and independent podcasts like presenting users with high-quality curated collections of podcasts around topics that they care about.
Next up, Google News Initiative wants to see, hear and engage with a diverse set of voices and narratives in media and technology. This includes tackling blind spots across news products, supporting new ideas through programs and uplifting the new generation of leaders, storytellers and media entrepreneurs.
Google also wants to focus on fact checking especially with misinformation around COVID-19 and its vaccine created falsehoods and affected various people. They will also support external research into the most effective formats for fact checking while studying their own platform so that users can differentiate fact from fiction.
Lastly, Google is finding different innovative means to engage with users and understanding their intent too, how they consume news and meet them where they are. This plan was put out through a thread of tweets, have a look:
Ensuring people have access to quality news is a core part of our work — and so is finding ways to support the news industry. So we asked five members of the News team to tell us what they're working on in 2021. Here’s what they said. 1/ https://t.co/XBHIrFBEnF
— Google News Initiative (@GoogleNewsInit) February 3, 2021
