As the U.S. presidential election reaches a critical point, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, has called on employees to help preserve Google’s reputation as a trusted source of information. In an internal memo reported by IANS, Pichai emphasized Google’s crucial role during this time, stating that “the products we build” must serve as reliable resources for people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
“Let’s remember our role at work, through our products, and as a company: to be a trusted source of information for everyone,” Pichai stated in the memo.
He also reminded employees to follow Google’s Community Guidelines and Personal Political Activity Policy closely, stressing the importance of maintaining the platform’s integrity. “We must uphold this trust,” he wrote, aligning it with Google’s broader mission to make information accessible and useful to all.
Pichai commended the efforts of teams at Google and YouTube who are working to provide accurate and trustworthy information to voters, a practice Google has applied in elections around the world. In 2024 alone, Google supported major elections in countries like France, India, and the UK, reaching over a billion voters.
He noted that the U.S. election’s impact will be global, influencing conversations worldwide. Regardless of the election’s outcome, he assured employees that Google’s mission to organize information and make it widely accessible remains strong, with artificial intelligence continuing to drive progress and economic growth.
Pichai’s comments come as digital platforms face greater scrutiny for managing election-related information responsibly. Addressing the risk of misinformation, he reminded employees of their shared duty to uphold Google’s standards.
In related news, Meta, previously known as Facebook, extended its ban on new political ads past the original November 5 deadline to help curb misinformation and ensure a safer online environment during and after the election period.
