Google introduced a new online hub meant to help the search engine’s users understand how it makes internal decisions at the same time that its business practices are facing scrutiny from the courts.
The search engine giant announced Thursday that it was launching its new “Transparency Hub,” a central location to access the policies governing its many products. These include how the company handles content moderation, developer access, and monetization. It will also offer users access to the company’s annual transparency reports, which detail how Google interacts with state and federal governments. Google also added a new page to help users report harmful content and appeal any decisions made in response.
UP FOR DEBATE: WHERE TRUMP, DESANTIS, AND THE REST OF REPUBLICAN 2024 FIELD STAND ON BIG TECH
“As the online threat landscape changes, our policies evolve, helping to prevent abuse on our platforms,” David Graff, Google VP of Trust and Safety, wrote in a blog post. “And since the uses of our products differ, we tailor our policies to each platform, aiming to create a safe and positive experience for everyone. With the Transparency Center, you can learn about our policy development process, how we enforce our policies, and view each policy by product and service.”
Google has released transparency reports for the last decade detailing how government actions have influenced its decisions. This includes the number of requests for user information by law enforcement and the company’s ongoing efforts to combat child sexual abuse material as required by law.
The hub also offers data on how Google is controlling the quality of its search results. For example, Google removed more than 437,000 URLs linking to child sexual abuse material from its search results in the second half of 2022.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Google announced on Tuesday that it would begin experimenting with using its artificial intelligence to summarize article contents within its search results.
The search engine faces a $5 billion class action lawsuit over allegedly lying about not collecting user information while its “incognito mode” was in use. Google is also managing an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the company preferenced itself through deals with smartphone makers that made it the predominant search engine. The Department of Justice also sued Google in January, accusing it of dominating the market for online advertising.
