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  Prigozhin interests and Russian information operations
  • sorangutan  

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  One of Threat Analysis Group’s (TAG) missions is to understand and disrupt coordinated information operations (IO) threat actors. Our research enables Google teams to make enforcement decisions backed by rigorous analysis. TAG’s investigations do not focus on making judgements about the content on Google platforms, but rather examining technical signals, heuristics, and behavioral patterns to make an assessment that activity is coordinated inauthentic behavior.

  In this post, TAG is highlighting four case studies involving Russian IO tied to the Internet Research Agency (IRA) and its financier, Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. In several cases, those campaigns served the dual purpose of promoting Russia’s agenda and Prigozhin’s business interests.

  These examples underline broader trends we’re seeing: Russian IO groups are increasingly obscuring their role in influence operations, relying on stronger operational security and cutouts (intermediaries to mask their work) to dissociate themselves from user-facing activity. They launder their messages via local media brands, NGOs and PR firms that were in fact created by Russian shell companies. And in some cases, IRA-affiliated actors have responded to platforms’ enforcement efforts by moving to more permissive online spaces and platforms.

  IO amplifying Prigozhin’s pro-Russian films

  Prigozhin has financed several movies through a partial ownership stake in the film company, Aurum LLC. The company’s movies show Russia — especially the Russian military and mercenaries — in a positive light. The films have high production values and fictionalize Russia’s actions abroad in the style of Hollywood action movies. Storylines in the films include depictions of Russian soldiers in the Central African Republic, soldiers defending native Russians in Ukraine, and even a satire about the IRA and its role in the 2016 US elections. In 2021, they released “Солнцепёк” (“Sunlight” or “Blazing Sun” in English), which takes place in eastern Ukraine and claims to be a story based on true events from 2014 of Russian mercenaries, connected to the paramilitary Wagner Group, protecting Russians in Ukraine against Ukrainian forces.

  Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, TAG identified several IRA-affiliated news sites hosting ads to drive traffic to the videos including sites like newinform[.]com and slovodel[.]com. While the film was an older release from 2021, the timing of this campaign was notable because the subject matter mirrored newly topical real world events in Ukraine in a way that portrayed Russia positively. Google terminated nine new IRA-linked accounts using Ads to advertise the film and 44 new IRA-linked YouTube channels hosting clips, the full-length film and related comments. Some accounts claimed to be officially affiliated with the film, while others presented themselves as fan accounts.

  

  Advertisement for the movie “Sunlight” on an IRA-affiliated news site

  IRA-linked IO campaigns in Africa

  In recent years, Russian IO actors tied to Prigozhin and the IRA, have peddled influence campaigns promoting the interests of Russia and Prigozhin’s Wagner Group in Africa. Researchers at Stanford, Graphika, and our colleagues at Meta have documented this trend going back to 2019. These campaigns involved creating NGOs, media brands and news agencies across Africa including a Ghanaian NGO, Sudan Daily, Peace Data and SADC News. These entities presented themselves as independent non-profit organizations and recruited local journalists and subject matter experts to publish content on topics like pro-Russia narratives, African pride and empowerment, and stories suggesting that Western imperialism is destroying Africa. Some authors likely did not realize they were working for a Russia-backed IO and genuinely believed in the content they wrote.

  TAG’s investigations align with these earlier findings. Google terminated accounts and channels associated with the IRA’s fake media brands and NGOs throughout 2019 and 2020. This included IRA-linked accounts using Gmail to create profiles on non-Google social platforms, creating YouTube channels affiliated with the so-called news brands, and publishing content to Blogger.

  In March 2021, Google shut down activity by several IRA-linked actors who published content promoting Wagner’s operations in Africa along with pro-Russia narratives. These articles appeared on Blogger and a number of non-Google blogging platforms such as Balalaika, Hashtap, Technowar and Voskhodinfo. The blogs amplified false narratives that the United Nations is funding terrorists in the Central African Republic and that Syrians need Wagner protection. The blogs were not backed by a social media presence.

  

  Example of a blog posted by an IRA-affiliated account

  

  Example of a blog posted by an IRA-affiliated account

  In September 2022 Google terminated three IRA-linked YouTube channels that were sharing content in French and supportive of Russian policy objectives in Libya, including promoting a film in the Shugaley trilogy, another Aurum LLC film.

  IRA influence operations concerning Ukraine

  Russia’s agenda in Ukraine has also been a consistent, but not overwhelming, focal point for IRA-linked influence campaigns. In February 2022, Google terminated five YouTube channels and 21 Blogger blogs posting coordinated narratives on Blogger, YouTube and the Ukrainian blogging platform, Hashtap. In addition to domestically-focused content about Russia, several of the narratives focused on maligning Ukraine. These included allegations of Ukrainians deceiving Europe and stories of how Kyiv authorities failed to properly handle the Covid-19 pandemic. This activity spanned multiple blogging platforms and TAG observed the same IRA-linked accounts posted similar commentary across various news sites.

  

  IRA-created blog on Blogger criticizing EU support for Ukraine

  IRA IO targeting domestic Russian audiences

  Google regularly disrupts activity by IRA-linked accounts targeting Russian domestic audiences. These are often clusters of related accounts that create YouTube channels, upload videos, and comment and upvote each other’s videos. The activity occurs during Russian work hours, with narratives focused on Russian domestic issues and typically targeting political dissidents. In October 2022, Google terminated a cluster of nearly 700 IRA-linked accounts that were posting YouTube Shorts. The Shorts were crafted for a Russian domestic audience, praising Russian soldiers in Ukraine, and had negligible views or subscribers.

  Other campaigns have focused on blogs. In July 2021, Google terminated 28 Blogger blogs created by IRA-linked accounts. Narratives in the blogs focused on Russian domestic affairs, including stories dismissing protests supporting anti-corruption activist, Alexei Navalny, denigrating local opposition politicians, criticizing the mayor of St. Petersburg and praising the heroics of Wagner Group. IRA actors also mirrored the same content on Ukrainian blogging platform, Hashtap. In some cases, multiple Blogger profiles published very similar or near-identical content.

  The evolution of the Russian IO landscape

  These case studies underscore several developments TAG observes in Russian IO activity. The accounts created lack well-developed, and backstopped personas, and increasingly are disrupted before they can gain traction. Russian IO actors also increasingly obscure their role, using stronger operational security and a range of intermediaries to conduct the actual user-facing activity. These proxies include third party PR firms, marketing agents, or unknowing local journalists and creators. Using well-selected proxies launders their legitimacy, and this provides an advantage compared to creating direct personas with little reach.

  In our investigations of IRA-backed IO, we have also noted several cases where the narratives pushed by the IRA serve a dual purpose. Not only do they amplify messages supporting Russia, they also promote the business interests of oligarch, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin has organized his empire around projects that directly and indirectly support the Russian state, and as the main financier of the IRA, he has cleverly leveraged his IO apparatus to amplify narratives that benefit not only Russia, but his own business interests as well.

  
  
  https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/prigozhin-interests-and-russian-information-operations/
• 

  Saving water in L.A., one leaky toilet at a time
  • sorangutan  

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  In water-scarce regions like California, every last drop counts. Yet millions of gallons of water are lost every year to a common, yet easily preventable, cause of water waste: leaky toilets.

  That's why we recently co-funded a pilot project to install water-saving technology in three multi-family buildings in Los Angeles. The tech takes aim at common leaks, like toilets that keep running water when not in use, which can add up over time. The pilot is on track to save 6.4 million gallons of water a year in the L.A. watershed where we operate, supporting our commitment to replenish 120% of the water we consume, on average, across our offices and data centers by 2030.

  The pilot came together with partners from the California Water Action Collaborative (CWAC), a water stewardship network of over 25 organizations — including private companies like Google alongside environmental NGOs and nonprofits — that are committed to improving water security across the state.

  Here's a look at how this project is saving water, money and energy, and at the potential for collective action models to make meaningful progress on rising water challenges.

  Saving water, money and energy

  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power estimates that the average household loses up to 10,000 gallons of water every year to leaky toilets that go unnoticed. The good news is that while leaky toilets can be hard to detect, they’re easy to fix.

  For the pilot project, CWAC members Pacific Institute and Bonneville Environmental Foundation tackled this challenge in three low-income multi-family housing buildings operated by nonprofit organizations, working alongside the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and other local water utilities. Toilets in these buildings were equipped with small, low-cost, low-power sensors developed by Sensor Industries. When a toilet leaks, the sensors alert building management in real time that a toilet needs to be repaired. The fix is usually as simple as readjusting or replacing the toilet flapper.

  This simple intervention resulted in serious savings of water, money and energy, according to estimates from the nonprofit Pacific Institute:

  • Water: The pilots are reducing building water use by an estimated 15% to 25%. The expected savings of 6.4 million gallons of water per year is equivalent to the total annual water use of about 40 single-family homes. Those savings extend to other customers who get their water from the same public utility, reducing water demand — and improving water reliability and affordability — across the system.
  • Cost: The water savings translate into cost savings on water and wastewater bills of the same 15% to 25%, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars a year. The nonprofit building operators who pay the water bills could use these savings to make building improvements, in effect passing the savings along to residents.
  • Energy: Southern California imports much of its water from hundreds of miles away, and it takes a lot of energy to pump this water over the mountains surrounding the L.A. Basin and treat it for household use. By reducing the demand for that water, the project cuts back on the energy and associated greenhouse gas emissions embedded in the water system.

  Pacific Institute points to several other advantages of this approach. Residents don’t have to do anything — the non-invasive system detects problems and notifies the building. Facility managers can see the likely reason for the leak (such as a stuck flapper), which helps them fix it faster. The nonprofit building operators can focus on more urgent issues and reduce time spent tracking down leaks.

  Bringing the solution to more cities

  Taking this pilot to other places has always been a goal, and that expansion effort is now underway. We’re funding work to bring this solution to a 225-unit building in San Francisco that shares a watershed with our local offices. Here we expect to save a little over 1 million gallons of water a year, based on the savings found in L.A.

  In New York City, we’re exploring this approach in a building a few miles from our main local campus, and here too we expect to save roughly 1 million gallons of water a year. While this region is not currently in a drought, we expect the system to save significant amounts of energy, as New York City imports its water from far away. Additionally, this project can help reduce pressure on New York’s combined waste- and stormwater system, which can overflow into clean waterways during heavy storms.

  In the face of difficult decisions around water resources and scarcity, it’s not easy to find meaningful wins that everyone can get behind. The pilots represent a solution that local utilities anywhere can adopt with the right partners.

  Looking ahead, we’ll continue to support collective action around watershed health in the communities where we operate. A healthy, resilient water system takes all of us.

  Related Article

  Our commitment to water stewardship

  We’re committing to replenish 120% of the water we consume, on average, by 2030 and supporting water security in areas where we operate.

  Read Article

  
  
  https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/saving-water-in-los-angeles-one-leaky-toilet-at-a-time/
• 

  How Sameer got back into tech and on our Responsible AI team
  • sorangutan  

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  Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

  Today’s post is all about Sameer Sethi, a lead technical program manager on our Responsible AI team.

  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

  I was born and raised in a Punjabi family in Delhi, India. Growing up, my parents were my role models and the biggest pillars in my life. My passions are trying different foods and drinks and exploring the world with my wife, who I met while traveling.

  Walk us through your path to Google.

  After completing my Bachelor’s of Engineering in Dublin, I worked as a software engineer at various telecom companies in Ireland. Afterwards, I moved back to India to help take care of my father and ended up opening an Indo-European bakery. While I enjoyed running a small business (especially one dedicated to my love of food), I still wanted to find an outlet for my engineering skills and use them to create a positive impact. So I got my master’s degree in engineering and ventured back into the tech world as a product manager.

  I partnered with Google on a project during that time, and having seen my work firsthand, my Google colleagues encouraged me to apply for an open position in Google Fiber. The role tapped into my passion for data engineering, and I could make a difference by helping to provide fast, reliable and fairly priced internet access to everyone. So I applied and got the job.

  What’s your role at Google now?

  Now, I’m a lead technical program manager on Google’s Responsible AI team. I work with researchers, ethicists and machine learning practitioners to help Google build responsible AI products guided by our AI Principles and the societal impacts of our work.

  What do you wish you’d known when you started the interview process?

  I read about Google’s interview process online and got the impression that it would be a nerve-racking experience. To my surprise, however, it was quite the opposite. While the interviews definitely required a lot of preparation, all of the interviewers were very friendly, and the process is designed to make you feel comfortable and help you do your best. Looking back, I would have been much less nervous knowing that the interviewers were friendly and there to help me succeed.

  What resources would you recommend to prepare for a Google interview?

  I’d suggest reading about the hiring process and checking out the Life at Google YouTube channel to hear directly from Googlers about what it’s like to work here, and how to best prepare to apply or interview. And remember, your recruiter is your best ally so take their recommendations. They know the Google hiring process inside out.

  Any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?

  I’ll second what many other Googlers have said: Always strive for your best, prepare well and understand that the interviewers are there to help you succeed. Don’t lose hope, and never stop dreaming.

  
  
  https://blog.google/inside-google/googlers/how-sameer-got-back-into-tech-and-on-our-responsible-ai-team/
• 

  All the ways to stay up to date on the FIFA World Cup™
  • sorangutan  

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  The World Cup kick-off countdown is on! To make sure you don’t miss any major moments, here are new features that will help you stay up to date as 32 nations compete to win it all.

  Get in on the action with Search

  Whether you are a casual fan, soccer aficionado or hopping on the bandwagon, we’ve got you covered! To prepare for the tournament, search “World Cup” and follow your favorite teams. Simply click on the bell in the top-right-hand corner to opt-in to receive notifications about your squad. We know the best fans care deeply about the details like who is dominating the passing game. Now, when you look up a match you will be able to view in-depth stats, win probabilities and key events timelines.

  

  You can also catch all the “ooh”, “ahh'' and “GOOAAAL” moments you might have missed with daily recap videos directly on Search from FIFA+ and official broadcasters including beIN SPORTS, BBC, ZDF and more. Dive even deeper and look up your favorite athletes to learn more about their stories and accomplishments.

  

  No matter which player or team you are rooting for, soccer is all about community and a little friendly competition. On Search when you look up players, you’ll be able to rate players based on how you think they’ll perform and see how that rating stands up against the others. Soon you can also compete with fans in our multiplayer online game. People from around the world will work together to help their team score the most amount of goals to win. Once a real-life match is set, pick your team and work with other fans to score the most virtual goals before the match ends.

  

  Find exciting content from the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 on YouTube

  There are even more ways to watch the biggest moments throughout the tournament on YouTube. World Cup fans can catch up on and rewatch the most exciting moments of every game on YouTube via FIFA and official broadcast channels. Starting November 20, YouTube TV subscribers can watch live the FIFA World Cup 2022™ on FOX and FS1, and make the most of their viewing experience with gameday features such as key plays to catch up on real-time highlights, stats, scores and standings. Members subscribed to the 4K Plus add-on can enjoy all 64 matches in ultra-high-definition. For those looking to tune in to the Spanish broadcast, Telemundo is included as part of the YouTube TV Base Plan. You can also find exclusive Shorts and long-form content for this year’s World Cup from creators like Deestroying, Rima, Cheeky Boyos, Jesser, Abo Flah and more. Relive and react to your favorite World Cup moments using the Remix feature in Shorts. Be sure to follow along using #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and join in the fun by using this hashtag when you upload your own content.

  Catch the matches and highlights with Google TV

  With your Google TV device, you'll be able to tune in to everything from the group stage to the finale. Jump straight into live matches featured in your For you tab. A new row lets you explore World Cup content like live games, highlights, recaps and more from FIFA+, ITV, Peacock, Telemundo, ViX and other broadcasters. These updates on Google TV are available on the new Chromecast with Google TV and other Google TV devices including Hisense, Philips, Sony and TCL.

  

  Discover new places to see the action

  Want to watch the game with other fans? A new label for businesses on Search will launch ahead of the games and help you do just that. Soon you can simply search for “Where to watch the world cup near me” within Search to find a nearby venue of your choice. Business owners should review their local rules about showing sporting events to the public before applying the new label.

  

  Grow your knowledge about the World Cup with Assistant

  Google Assistant is helping long-time soccer fans and those new to the World Cup with an expanded collection of facts. Say "Give me a soccer fun fact" to learn about the first females to referee the tournament, the number of stadiums lined up to host the event and more. To chat about the game, ask Assistant, "Do you like soccer?" and "Who's your favorite soccer player?", or celebrate together with "It's game time" or "Say goal!"

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/search/fifa-world-cup-2023/
• 

  All the ways to stay up to date on the FIFA World Cup™
  • sorangutan  

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  The World Cup kick-off countdown is on! To make sure you don’t miss any major moments, here are new features that will help you stay up to date as 32 nations compete to win it all.

  Get in on the action with Search

  Whether you are a casual fan, soccer aficionado or hopping on the bandwagon, we’ve got you covered! To prepare for the tournament, search “World Cup” and follow your favorite teams. Simply click on the bell in the top-right-hand corner to opt-in to receive notifications about your squad. We know the best fans care deeply about the details like who is dominating the passing game. Now, when you look up a match you will be able to view in-depth stats, win probabilities and key events timelines.

  

  You can also catch all the “ooh”, “ahh'' and “GOOAAAL” moments you might have missed with daily recap videos directly on Search from FIFA+ and official broadcasters including beIN SPORTS, BBC, ZDF and more. Dive even deeper and look up your favorite athletes to learn more about their stories and accomplishments.

  

  No matter which player or team you are rooting for, soccer is all about community and a little friendly competition. On Search when you look up players, you’ll be able to rate players based on how you think they’ll perform and see how that rating stands up against the others. Soon you can also compete with fans in our multiplayer online game. People from around the world will work together to help their team score the most amount of goals to win. Once a real-life match is set, pick your team and work with other fans to score the most virtual goals before the match ends.

  

  Find exciting content from the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 on YouTube

  There are even more ways to watch the biggest moments throughout the tournament on YouTube. World Cup fans can catch up on and rewatch the most exciting moments of every game on YouTube via FIFA and official broadcast channels. Starting November 20, YouTube TV subscribers can watch live the FIFA World Cup 2022™ on FOX and FS1, and make the most of their viewing experience with gameday features such as key plays to catch up on real-time highlights, stats, scores and standings. Members subscribed to the 4K Plus add-on can enjoy all 64 matches in ultra-high-definition. For those looking to tune in to the Spanish broadcast, Telemundo is included as part of the YouTube TV Base Plan. You can also find exclusive Shorts and long-form content for this year’s World Cup from creators like Deestroying, Rima, Cheeky Boyos, Jesser, Abo Flah and more. Relive and react to your favorite World Cup moments using the Remix feature in Shorts. Be sure to follow along using #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and join in the fun by using this hashtag when you upload your own content.

  Catch the matches and highlights with Google TV

  With your Google TV device, you'll be able to tune in to everything from the group stage to the finale. Jump straight into live matches featured in your For you tab. A new row lets you explore World Cup content like live games, highlights, recaps and more from FIFA+, ITV, Peacock, Telemundo, ViX and other broadcasters. These updates on Google TV are available on the new Chromecast with Google TV and other Google TV devices including Hisense, Philips, Sony and TCL.

  

  Discover new places to see the action

  Want to watch the game with other fans? A new label for businesses on Search will launch ahead of the games and help you do just that. Soon you can simply search for “Where to watch the world cup near me” within Search to find a nearby venue of your choice. Business owners should review their local rules about showing sporting events to the public before applying the new label.

  

  Grow your knowledge about the World Cup with Assistant

  Google Assistant is helping long-time soccer fans and those new to the World Cup with an expanded collection of facts. Say "Give me a soccer fun fact" to learn about the first females to referee the tournament, the number of stadiums lined up to host the event and more. To chat about the game, ask Assistant, "Do you like soccer?" and "Who's your favorite soccer player?", or celebrate together with "It's game time" or "Say goal!"

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/search/fifa-world-cup-2022/
• 

  Supporting U.S. food banks to deliver 50 million meals
  • sorangutan  

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  This week, we kicked off our annual holiday giving campaign. I always look forward to this time of year because it gives Googlers — our employees — a chance to amplify their generosity by directing some of the company’s funds to causes that are important to them and can make an impact in their communities. Every year, food banks, along with schools, are among the most popular recipients for giving back. Our employees have given more than $43 million to U.S. food relief organizations with Google.org’s gift match, as part of our $2 billion in giving since 2017.

  This year, food insecurity remains a big challenge for many families across the U. S. According to the US Department of Agriculture, more than 10% of Americans were food-insecure at some time in 2021 — meaning they couldn’t be sure that they would have enough food for their family to eat.

  One of the best ways to support families is to equip food banks, especially as increasing food prices and global supply chain issues stretch them thin. That’s why today we’re launching a new partnership with Feeding America and its network of local food banks and pantries. Our goal is to deliver 50 million meals, while strengthening food banks’ technical infrastructure for the longer term. We’re also launching new features in Search and Maps that make finding food support easier.

  Helping Feeding America deliver 50 million meals

  Google.org will contribute $10 million to Feeding America and 32 of its member food banks to help deliver 50 million meals to communities most in need. We’ll partner with these food banks throughout the month to host more than 20 volunteering events in communities across the country, to raise awareness and encourage those who can to give back. In one of those communities, Mesa, Arizona, Google.org has joined forces with Waymo to expand their food rescue program, and Googlers will help load a Waymo Via semi truck full of food to deliver to local food banks. Since May, Waymo Vias have helped transport more than 44,000 pounds of bread on behalf of nonprofits' food rescue efforts.

  

  Volunteers at the local food bank in Fort Myers, Florida, help to unload fresh produce from a truck.

  Google.org is also donating Search advertising to Feeding America and local food banks and pantries across the U.S. in order to connect them with people searching for resources or ways to give back.

  Over the longer term, we'll continue to partner with Feeding America on its food bank network's technology infrastructure. This work will help improve things like inventory management tools — projects that are often deprioritized so food banks can meet immediate needs, yet are vital to ensuring that the right food gets to the right households at the right time. We’ll be lending our expertise to help close these gaps, creating volunteer opportunities for Googlers to put their skills to work.

  Providing information through our products

  One of the biggest ways we can make a difference is by helping people find information about food support in their communities. Last year, we launched Search and Maps features that make it easier to locate verified local food banks. These features also enabled people to find out more about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. And now if you search for "how to apply for SNAP" you can find information about milestones in the application process, including important details on eligibility and documents required.

  Once approved for SNAP, many people use Electronic Benefit Transfers (EBT) as a payment method, and you can now search for "EBT" to find your local program's website, check your balance and find contact information to get support. Searching on Google Maps for "grocery stores that accept EBT" surfaces more than 180,000 USDA-approved grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers’ markets and other nearby retailers that accept this payment method.

  It will take a sustained and coordinated effort to address the challenge of food insecurity. Working with Feeding America and its partners, we’re committed to raising awareness of this ongoing crisis, and encourage others to help, this holiday season and all year round.

  
  
  https://blog.google/inside-google/message-ceo/supporting-us-food-banks/
• 

  13 surprising ways we've collected Street View imagery around the world
  • sorangutan  

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  You’ve heard of Street View, but have you heard of Sheep View? As un-bahh-lievable as it may sound, these wooly creatures have helped us collect truly ewe-nique Street View imagery. That’s just one of the unexpected ways we’ve added imagery to our Street View collection. Through the years, we’ve captured images on remote islands, along rough terrain and underwater. Since we can’t reach all of those locations by car, we’ve naturally had to get creative. For a peek behind the curtain, here are 13 of the most creative ways we’ve collected Street View imagery — some of which have led to our favorite Street Views ever.

  1. By trike

  10:25

  During a coffee run in 2010, one of Google’s senior mechanical engineers spotted a pedi-cab riding through Mountain View. Inspired, he got to talking with the owner, and the Google Trike was born. The Street View Trike allowed Google to map locations that were previously inaccessible to our fleet of cars, making its debut collecting off-road imagery at California's LegoLand. Cyclists rode the modified pedicab in decorative Google jerseys through zoos, landmarks and universities.

  

  We developed the Street View Trike to help us access off-road locations.

  2. By boat

  10:25

  Next, the team wanted to capture the beauty of the Amazon, but you can’t exactly cycle down the world’s largest river. Our solution was to put the Street View Trike onto a boat and see what happened. We ended up collecting imagery of the Rio Negro, an Amazon Forest trail and five river communities. Weeks after, when program manager Karin Tuxen-Bettman reviewed the footage, she was surprised to find it was partially obscured by a frog that had perched itself on the lens.

  “I wasn't aware while it was happening, so there was nothing I could do to change it,” says Karin. “But I was delighted. It represents the unexpected, which we grew to expect on this imagery collection expedition.”

  

  A frog landed on the lens during a Street View shoot of the Amazon, showing us it isn’t always smooth sailing.

  3. By snorkelers and scuba divers

  10:25

  Boats are great, but what about taking Street View pictures underwater? We’ve done that, too. The ocean covers 71% of the Earth's surface, yet only 5% has been explored. Over the years, our team has partnered with snorkelers and divers to bring underwater imagery to Street View. In ourGoogle Earth collection, you can swim by shipwrecks, reefs and coral gardens across the world.

  

  Scuba diving and snorkeling allowed us to create underwater images.

  4. By snowmobile

  10:25

  Another one of our Street View goals was to make imagery of the ski slopes in Vancouver globally accessible in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics. We achieved this by introducing the Street View Snowmobile. After customizing a snowmobile by attaching a pole-mounted camera, we took to the slopes.

  “I am originally from Poland, and I love skiing,” says Magdalena Filak, one of the Googlers leading operations for our Street View Special Collects at the time. “It was so much fun to map the ski resorts with the snowmobile, and then share the captured imagery with my friends and family to plan our skiing trips. The imagery that we captured was just so serene, calm and beautiful.”

  

  There was snow much fun to be had while collecting these cool pictures.

  5. By backpack

  10:25

  Even with trikes and snowmobiles, there continued to be locations and landmarks we couldn’t access. That’s where the Street View Trekker came in. Originally introduced in 2012, the first Trekker featured a 360-degree camera system mounted onto a wearable backpack. This allowed wearers to collect images on foot. In 2018, the device got an upgrade with 140-megapixel cameras and laser sensors that can quickly create a digital map of the area.

  

  The backpack Trekker provided flexibility and freedom, expanding Street View’s reach.

  6. By camel

  

  The Trekker was fashioned onto a camel, gathering images as the animal walked through the desert.

  Yes, you read that right. In order to capture the beauty of the Liwa desert, the Street View Trekker was mounted atop an Arabian one-humped camel, also known as a dromedary. Home to early settlers back in the Late Stone Age, the Liwa desert sand dunes reach a height of up to 131 feet. Using camels for the collection allowed us to collect authentic imagery and minimize our disruption of this fragile environment.

  “I had never gone to a desert before, and although I adore animals, I had never been so fortunate to be near a camel,” says Valentina Frassi, a Googler who led some collections for the Middle East and North Africa region at the time. “Dealing with unconventional means of transport, like our stubborn camel friend Raffia, is not an everyday task.”

  7. By sheep

  

  We worked with sheep, the local community and the Street View team to document the Faroe Islands.

  Camels aren’t our only fuzzy photographer friends. Home to just 50,000 people, the Faroe Islands are an archipelago in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean known for having more sheep than human residents. In 2016, a few of those sheep were equipped with solar powered cameras to collect Street View imagery, documenting the local islands.

  8. By astronaut

  10:25

  Reaching for the stars, our team partnered with astronaut Thomas Pesquet to give a tour of the International Space Station. Because of the constraints of working in space (and the whole zero gravity thing), Thomas couldn’t use just any equipment. Our team worked with NASA at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to design a gravity-free solution that used DSLR cameras and equipment already on the ISS. Then Thomas sent the pictures down to Earth where we stitched them together to create panoramic 360-degree imagery.

  

  We worked with astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center to bring Street View to space.

  9. By ATV

  10:25

  Made uninhabitable by its rough terrain and polar climate, Devon Island in Canada’s Arctic is an important site for researchers and scientists as its environment is the closest to Mars that can be found without leaving the planet. In 2019, we partnered with Dr. Pascal Lee, chairman of the Mars Institute and director of the Haughton-Mars Project, to get imagery on ATVs of “Mars on Earth.” Just like a trip to Mars, our trip to collect Street View imagery required careful planning and preparation. The team delegated tasks including leading explorations, packing supplies, cooking, handling ATV maintenance and collecting imagery. Dr. Lee’s dog even served as a lookout for polar bears.

  10. By raft

  

  Going with the flow, the Street View raft rode the tides of Atol das Rocas.

  As part of a partnership with the federal institute for biodiversity in Brazil, ICMBio, we mounted a Street View camera onto a raft and floated out to a ring shaped island, or atoll, that is only accessible to crews with authorization from The Brazilian Navy and ICMBio. According to Tom Nora, a Googler who led the collection team, the raft was a useful solution to one of the team’s biggest challenges: the changing tides that caused the atoll to quickly fill and empty.

  “Because of the tide changes, we had to stay in the atoll – which is pretty much an island without clean water – so no shower or sink,” says Tom. “The power on the island, coming from a local solar power plant, was not working. All three people that were living on the island were biologists, so they didn't know how to fix it. Since I'm an electrical engineer and had experience with power electronics, I was able to fix it for them. It was a great win-win situation.”

  11. By trolley

  • A wall covered in paintings, including a Van Gogh painting of flowers

    With the Street View Trolley, we can collect 360-degree views of museums and cultural heritage sites.

  • A hall of sculptures in Street View

    With the Street View Trolley, we can collect 360-degree views of museums and cultural heritage sites.

  • An art gallery in Street View showing The Birth of Venus

    With the Street View Trolley, we can collect 360-degree views of museums and cultural heritage sites.

  We created the Street View Trolley for art lovers with the goal of bringing the world’s most acclaimed museums to Maps. Since we can’t drive the Street View car indoors, our team designed a stable four-wheeled push cart that could bear a heavy load. We equipped it with a panoramic camera to collect 360-degree views, lasers to capture distances to walls, motion sensors to track Trolley’s position, a hard drive to store data and a laptop to operate the system.

  12. By rappel

  • Climbers getting ready to rappel down a volcano

    To get some lava-ly shots, a team of explorers rappelled into an active volcano.

  • A molten lava lake in Street View

    To get some lava-ly shots, a team of explorers rappelled into an active volcano.

  • A view of rappel lines along a volcano in Street View

    To get some lava-ly shots, a team of explorers rappelled into an active volcano.

  Sometimes the best shots require some extra work, like when New Zealand Googler Matthew Davison came up with the idea of taking a Street View Trekker inside an active volcano. Matthew and a team of explorers rappelled over 1,300 feet into the Marum crater in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, suspending over a molten lava lake the size of two football fields!

  “When I came up with the idea, my colleagues thought it was an elaborate prank,” says Matthew, who leads volcano expeditions around the world as a hobby. “When volcanoes aren’t impacting people, they're a beautiful spectacle to look at. Capturing such a rare phenomenon and being able to share it with the world was a huge privilege.” It was also a huge responsibility, Matthew notes: “We had to use specialized heat suits to protect ourselves from the immense heat. Our most important priority was keeping everyone safe.”

  13. By model train

  10:25

  We’d traveled far and wide, but a 2016 Street View project in Hamburg, Germany presented a new challenge: shrinking down. The Miniatur Wunderland attraction features the world’s largest model railway with over 42,000 feet of track. Our team partnered with Ubilabs, a data and location technology company, to create our own miniature vehicles that could drive over train tracks and down the streets of the fictional town Knuffingen, one of Miniatur Wunderland’s “theme worlds.” Miniatur Wunderland was crafted with an eye for detail, with thousands of tiny citizens going about their days. Our Street View collection allows you to explore a rowdy Oktoberfest celebration, replicas of several famous landmarks across the world and even some details not visible to museum visitors.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/maps/surprising-street-view-imagery-collection/
• 

  How we designed Chrome to help businesses
  • sorangutan  

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  Businesses all over the world rely on Chrome to get things done securely and collaboratively — both at home and in the office. And that’s due to the Googlers who work every day to make sure enterprise users stay safe online using Chrome.

  We chatted with Robert Shield, a longtime Chrome Googler and the director of engineering on the Chrome Browser Enterprise team, to get an insider’s point of view on how Chrome evolved to become a secure browser for businesses.

  Why did Chrome decide to invest in building a browser for businesses?

  Early on, we realized that businesses had specific needs for managing Chrome to a large workforce. Shortly after Chrome’s initial launch, we added a variety of enterprise management capabilities like Chrome Browser Cloud Management, and zero trust solutions like BeyondCorp Enterprise, to help with added security controls, distributing software and supporting legacy browsers.

  How have businesses’ browser security needs changed over the years?

  The way we work has shifted quite drastically, from legacy systems connected over private networks to cloud-centric computing. Workers now need to access data from anywhere and on different types of devices. While this change brings more flexibility and productivity to organizations, it requires them to work even harder to secure their data.

  What are some specific requests you get from IT and security professionals using Chrome in modern enterprise environments?

  Customers tell us they have a growing need to secure access to data hosted in the cloud, so we provide tools to prevent data loss right in the browser. We also make it easy for businesses to integrate Chrome with popular security solution providers, like Splunk, CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks. This allows customers to gain a deeper understanding of potentially harmful threats their users face on the web and be more proactive in their remediation efforts.

  What are you working on that excites you most?

  We’re really focused on helping businesses safeguard their whole computing stack, from cloud services to the desktops, laptops and phones used by workers. With the move to cloud workloads accelerating over the coming years, we’re investing in tighter integrations between Chrome and the full slate of security tools and services that organizations use every day to provide complete end-to-end security for users and data. It’s exciting to see the browser evolve to play an active role in securing business environments.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/chrome/how-we-designed-chrome-to-help-businesses/
• 

  Activate your first-party data on connected TV
  • sorangutan  

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  With total streaming usage taking 36% of overall TV share, you can be sure to find your audience on connected TV (CTV). We’re committed to helping you deliver high quality ad experiences to all streamers by bringing the best of digital ad technology — like delivering the right message to the right audience — to the TV screen. That’s why earlier this year, we introduced Google Audiences to CTV campaigns in Display & Video 360.

  Successful businesses lean into existing customer relationships and the information they willingly share to drive performance. This information, known as first-party data, can be the basis for privacy-preserving, future-proofed ways to connect with customers. Today we’re announcing new features to let you reach your first-party audience on CTV devices and automatically find more users who look like your core audience.

  Engage with people you know as they watch CTV in the U.S.

  First, we’re making it possible for you to engage with your first-party audiences on connected TV devices. Now, when you select a first-party audience list for your Display and Video 360 campaign, the list will automatically be eligible to reach your most engaged customers as they stream connected TV content. This is an easy and effective way to ensure you reach people who already have a connection with your brand, on the device that they are using at the moment.

  Let’s say you’re a cosmetic brand preparing for the holiday season and want to build on the direct relationship you have with customers who have downloaded your app. With Display & Video 360, you can now reach this first-party audience as they’re streaming their favorite shows on Disney, Tubi, or other premium publishers.

  It’s easy to benefit from this new capability. All you have to do is select and add your first-party audience to your insertion order or line-item, in the same way you would have done for web and mobile devices. Display & Video 360 will automatically start reaching people who have an existing relationship with your brand when they are watching on CTV. This feature is available now to all advertisers in the United States, you can learn more about how it works by visiting our help center.

  Reach more streamers similar to your first-party audience around the world

  Once you have engaged with your first-party audience, reaching additional people who have similar behaviors or characteristics to your core audiences helps you boost campaign performance.

  We are also launching audience expansion for CTV. Audience expansion makes it easy to reach more people that matter to your business and achieve your marketing goals. By utilizing contextual and geo signals, Display and Video 360’s algorithm will create a model to find CTV streamers who are similar to your core audience.

  Let’s go back to the example of the beauty brand trying to reach relevant seasonal shoppers. You could now apply audience expansion to your first-party audience and show CTV ads to streamers who are similar to those who have downloaded your app.

  You’ll be able to activate audience expansion across all regions globally in Display and Video 360 early next year via controls available in Display & Video 360’s TV insertion order.

  These new features are just some of the ways we’re helping businesses connect with their most engaged audience while respecting people’s privacy. As we invent fundamentally new audience solutions, we’ll ensure they seamlessly work on CTV and allow you to make the most of the streaming boom.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/marketingplatform/360/activate-your-first-party-data-on-connected-tv/
• 

  A new way to control and optimize frequency on YouTube
  • sorangutan  

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  Achieving the right video ad frequency for both viewers and advertisers has always been a juggling act.

  That challenge has only increased as linear TV viewership in the US has dropped from 100 million households in 2014 to a forecast of just 44 million by 2025. As reach declines, the number of times the audience sees an ad on TV is increasing. Seeing the same ad repeatedly can be a frustrating experience for viewers and proves wasteful for advertisers. On average, TV advertisers’ return on investment (ROI) decreased by 41% when frequency exceeded 6+ weekly impressions — which represents 46% of TV impressions served, according to a MMM meta analysis commissioned with Nielsen[539a59].

  Almost half of the linear TV impressions in our study were considered waste but the same study from Nielsen shows that brands can increase their average weekly frequency from one to three on YouTube with a consistent ROI[78a842]. This is a huge opportunity for marketers to maximize their impact across the same set of people they are already reaching today.

  At YouTube, we are helping advertisers deliver a better advertising experience for viewers without any compromise in ROI. Based on this commitment, earlier this year we announced our frequency management solution on Display and Video 360 that allows marketers to manage the number of times people see their ads across YouTube and third-party networks. We’re now taking that a step further to revolutionize reach and frequency-buying on YouTube.

  To help marketers harness this impact, we’re announcing the launch of Target frequency globally for YouTube campaigns. This will help advertisers optimize towards more precise reach and frequency, while ensuring that we continue to provide a suitable advertising experience for viewers. Target frequency allows advertisers to select a frequency goal of up to four per week and our systems will optimize towards maximum unique reach at that desired frequency.

  We recently partnered with Triscuit to see how the brand can drive incremental impact to its reach campaigns with a frequency target. Triscuit's goal was to ensure that the brand stays top-of-mind with the consumer. The brand set up a Video experiment to determine the incremental ad recall that a weekly frequency of two could deliver. The Target frequency campaign achieved a 93% higher absolute ad recall lift compared to the non-frequency optimized campaign, at a 40% cheaper cost per lifted user.

  We're committed to improving the advertising experience for brands and viewers

  Now advertisers can select the frequency target and our systems will optimize towards maximum unique reach at the frequency goal. With our built-in capping, campaigns deliver within a tight distribution range so viewers don’t see the ads too many times. In fact, over 95% of Target frequency campaigns on YouTube successfully achieved their frequency goals when set up following recommended best practices.[162fd8]Not only do the campaigns deliver on their target frequency, but they drive brand impact as well.
  

  To start using a frequency optimized campaign, create a new video reach campaign with the Target frequency goal and select the desired weekly frequency.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/a-new-way-to-control-and-optimize-frequency-on-youtube/
• 

  New feature to help people navigate the energy crisis in Europe
  • sorangutan  

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  Europe is gearing up for a challenging winter - with rising prices and pressures on the European grid, driven by Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, further driving the need for secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy sources.

  We know that energy security and affordability are top of mind for many across Europe right now. People are turning to Google to ask questions about conserving energy and managing their costs. In the UK, a year ago just one in ten searches on the topic of energy prices was a ‘why’, ‘how’ or ‘when’ question - now it’s one in four. In Germany, we’ve seen search interest trending for queries like ‘how to save natural gas’, ‘heating cost’ and how to save energy - while in Belgium, searches for ‘how to save on gas’ are up more than 5,000% since this time last year.

  In times of uncertainty, people turn to Google for help and information. As people look for new ways to stay on top of their energy consumption and keep costs manageable, we’re launching a new feature in 29 countries and 22 languages across Europe to enable people to find relevant and actionable information to help them navigate this crisis and save energy.

  

  Starting today, when people search for information on the energy landscape in Europe, they'll see dedicated features with helpful and reliable information. When you search for things like ‘Europe energy crisis’ and ‘energy price’, you'll see news articles, local information including financial assistance that may be available, and recommended actions from the International Energy Agency to help conserve energy.

  

  Whether it’s turning down the heat or adjusting the settings of your boiler, you will be able to see, at a glance, information about saving energy in your home. These information panels will surface alongside other relevant results from the open web.

  The launch of the energy crisis feature is a further addition to products and tools we have already launched in Europe to help people learn more about accessing energy affordably, reliably, and efficiently. For example, earlier this year we launched updates to Google Maps that help you find more fuel-efficient routes to reduce emissions and costs when you need to drive.

  Technology can contribute to addressing the challenges facing Europe today. We remain committed to connecting people with timely, relevant, and actionable information when they need it most.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/search/new-feature-europe-energy-crisis/
• 

  You're invited to all new .rsvp domains
  • sorangutan  

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  The holidays are right around the corner, and chances are there’s an invite or two headed your way. Perhaps you’re planning a “friendsgiving” gathering, a New Year’s soiree or a milestone birthday bash. Starting today, you’ll be able to register .rsvp domain names for your event website. It’s the latest secure top-level domain from Google Registry. The .rsvp top-level domain is perfect for any event where you need guests to confirm their plans with you — or, as the French say, répondez, s'il vous plait.

  For more inspiration as you start making plans, here are five companies already using .rsvp:

  1. Hike.rsvp: Urban Hiker SF offers small group, corporate and private walking tours in San Francisco. They’re using hike.rsvp to make it easy for anyone visiting the City by the Bay to book a tour.
  2. Events.rsvp: RSVPify powers marquee events around the globe with event management and ticketing software. You can learn more about RSVPify's event management solutions by heading to events.rsvp.
  3. Invitations.rsvp: Online invitations company Paperless Post helps over 175 million users celebrate all the moments that matter. They’re using invitations.rsvp to spread the word and get party planning.
  4. Wedding.rsvp: The Knot Guest List and RSVPs is a free wedding guest list tool that has everything you need to manage and talk to guests—from easy address collection to automatic RSVP tracking. They’re using wedding.rsvp as an easy way for planners to remind their guests.
  5. Party.rsvp: Partiful is a new social events platform using party.rsvp to make it easy to plan events and coordinate with groups of guests.

  Right now, .rsvp domain names are available as part of our Early Access Program for an additional one-time fee. This fee decreases daily until November 15, when .rsvp domains will become publicly available at a base annual price through your registrar of choice. To learn more about pricing and our participating partners, visit get.rsvp.

  Party people, event organizers and cat herders, this one’s for you. Here’s to making plans and creating memories.

  Related Article

  Spooky or sweet? 5 websites getting their .boo on

  It’s your chance to register new .boo top-level domains this fall. See how these five websites are already getting their boo on.

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  Today is the .day

  .day, the latest top-level domain extension from Google Registry, helps you bring attention to any important day

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  How companies are using .new shortcuts

  Video case studies on how Adobe, Glitch and Google Workspace are using the .new shortcut to engage their customers.

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  10 sites and apps to help you get ready for the holidays

  Ten websites and apps to help you get ready for the holiday season.

  Read Article

  
  
  https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/entrepreneurs/invite-to-all-new-rsvp-domains/
• 

  Goal! Take your next drive with a soccer commentator
  • sorangutan  

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  As the most widely viewed and followed sport in the world, soccer (or, if you’re not American, football) is a global sensation. The sport unites communities in an epic competition that celebrates country pride and sportsmanship. And now, for the first time ever, Waze is giving drivers everywhere a way to get close to the soccer action and represent for their favorite team and country.

  With voice navigation inspired by soccer commentating styles around the world, each turn, hazard and exit will feel like high-stakes action on the pitch. You’ll hear things like “Take the first exit. Then it’s onward to glory!” and “Hazard reported ahead. Getting through that defense could prove tricky.” In Brazil, we even voiced the experience by Luva de Pedreiro, a fan favorite and the most-followed soccer commentator on social media in the country.

  Take a drive in the Automoball, a car outfitted for ultimate soccer fans. And don’t forget to share your national pride with a Mood representing your favorite country as they traverse the tournament rounds.

  Score our soccer experience by tapping “My Waze” and “Drive with Luva de Pedreiro” for our Brazilian-based users, or “Drive with a commentator” for the rest of the world. Or you can use our links to access the Luva experience and our commentator experience (in English, French and Spanish).

  
  
  https://blog.google/waze/goal-take-your-next-drive-with-a-soccer-commentator/
• 

  5 Google Maps tips for less stress this holiday season
  • sorangutan  

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  It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Bustling shoppers, home-cooked meals and quality time with loved ones.

  Even with all this holiday cheer, the season can feel overwhelming. To help you save time, money and your sanity, here are five must-know Google Maps tips and tricks to navigate the busy holiday season with ease.

  Search for stops along your route 🔎

  Forgot something important for your holiday gathering? Start navigating to your destination and tap on the magnifying glass on the top right-hand side of the app. You’ll find grocery stores, rest stops, gas stations, hotels and more along the way so you can avoid a major detour.

  Share your ETA ⌚

  Running late to the festivities? Let friends and family know you’re on your way by sharing your ETA right from Maps. When navigating, tap on the bottom screen and then on “Share trip progress.”

  Drive sustainably and save money on gas ♻️

  Use eco-friendly routing to see and choose the most fuel or energy-efficient route to your destination — whether it’s an ice rink or a tree farm — whenever you navigate with Google Maps. You can also search for “gas prices'' to see the price of fuel at stations nearby so you can pick the cheapest option.

  Find your way indoors fast with the Directory tab 🗺️

  If you’re planning to shop or travel this season, you can search for any mall, airport or transit station and tap on the “Directory” tab to see what businesses are inside — like if a specific car rental company is located at the airport. You’ll also see helpful details like what floor a place is on and if it’s open.

  Avoid holiday crowds with busyness information 👯

  Nothing dampers a festive mood like long lines. Search for any place on Google Maps — like a bakery, grocery store or airport — and pull up its business page. Scroll down to see how busy it is at the moment or how busy it tends to be at a given day and hour to save time.

  Still hungry for more? Check out these Google Maps traffic predictions, popular times, and activity trends — we promise they’re pumpkin to talk about!

  Related Article

  The best times for holiday travel and shopping, according to Maps data

  Navigate the 2022 Holiday season with ease using Google Maps traffic, popular times, and activity trends to beat the rush and avoid crowds.

  Read Article

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/maps/5-holiday-tips-2022/
• 

  The best times for holiday travel and shopping, according to Maps data
  • sorangutan  

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  The holidays are upon us once again. While we love the crinkle of wrapping paper and the smell of freshly baked gingerbread, the holiday season’s long lines and endless traffic are enough to turn anyone into a Scrooge. To help you navigate this holiday season like a pro, we’ve pulled together Google Maps traffic predictions, popular times and activity trends to get you out the door and on your merry way with ease.

  The best times for Thanksgiving travel

  Whether you’re hitting the road early or heading out on Thanksgiving day, you can outsmart a potential slowdown by choosing the right time to leave. We took a look at last year’s Thanksgiving traffic patterns across more than 20 major U.S. cities to help you plan your trip and quit traffic cold turkey.

  🚘 When to hit the road. The best time to get on the road before Thanksgiving is typically Monday at 8 p.m. local time. Try to avoid driving on Tuesday or Wednesday around 4 and 5 p.m., as that’s typically when Thanksgiving traffic hits its peak.

  🦃 Turkey-day travels. Planning to make your turkey trot on Thanksgiving day? Try to hit the road before noon or after 5 p.m. Roads are typically more congested between 3-5 p.m., which could cause some ruffled feathers.

  💳 Black Friday shopping. If you manage to emerge from your Thanksgiving food coma to shop ‘til you drop, there’s no sense in getting caught in traffic! On Black Friday, we typically see traffic pick up around noon and peak around 4 p.m. in most places across the U.S. You’ll see fewer cars on the road at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., and between 7-8 p.m.

  👋 Home for the weekend. To make sure your journey home is all gravy after the festivities are over, try to avoid the roads at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Typically the best times to leave are 6 a.m. or 8 p.m. local time.

  The best times to travel, shop and run errands

  Holiday crowds are snow joke. We looked at Popular Times information to determine the best and worst times to visit the places you need most during the holidays — so you can spend more time celebrating and less time waiting in line.

  ✈️ Airports. Turkeys aren’t the only ones trying to fly out of here! Airports in the U.S. are typically at their busiest on Saturdays at noon, so build in extra time if you’re traveling around then. Airports are at their least busy on Wednesdays around 8 p.m.

  🥐 Bakeries. Looking for a sweet treat? You can expect to stand in line at the bakery on Saturday at 10 a.m., but you’ll have the best chance of avoiding the crowds if you visit on Monday at 3 p.m.

  🥫 Grocery Stores. On a mission to get everything you need to be the hostess with the most-est? Grocery stores across the U.S. are typically busiest on Sunday at 1 p.m. and least busy on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

  💌 Post Offices. We can’t all deliver our gifts in a sleigh, but you can slay your trip to the post office. Visit on Friday around noon to beat the crowds, and make sure you avoid the typical Tuesday 3 p.m. rush.

  🛍️ Shopping Center. For when your presents is requested. Visit a local mall or shopping center around Monday at 3 p.m. and you’ll be in and out faster than you can say Kris Kringle, but visit on Saturday at 1 p.m. and yule surely be sorry.

  The most popular holiday activities

  From Christmas tree farms and holiday markets to ice skating rinks, we took a look at how popular holiday activities compare in each state. Dive in for some tree-mendous activity trends!

  🍔 Order up! The most popular chain restaurants people navigate to on Thanksgiving are McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Dunkin’, according to Google Maps data. Tennessee is the only state that doesn’t favor one of these three, opting for Cracker Barrel (Old) Country Store instead!

  

  Among the most popular holiday activities are Christmas tree farms and ice skating rinks, according to Google Maps direction requests. Let’s see how they compare:

  ⛸️ Ice, ice baby. Ice skating rinks took the lead in 33 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Texas and Wyoming.

  🎄 Rockin’ around the Christmas tree. Christmas tree farms were the more popular activity in 17 states. The tree-huggin’ states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

  Whether you’re traveling far and wide or welcoming friends and family to your home, we know you’ve got your work cut out for you. Check out these Google Maps tips and tricks for navigating the holidays with ease.

  Related Article

  5 Google Maps tips for less stress this holiday season

  Navigate the 2022 Holiday season with ease using expert Google Maps tips to save money, time, and your sanity.

  Read Article

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/maps/holiday-maps-trends-2022/
• 

  How Gen Z is fighting online misinformation in Asia-Pacific
  • sorangutan  

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  Last week marked the UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Week— perfect timing for our recently concluded Google News Initiative (GNI) Youth Verification Challenge.

  The Challenge is for those aged 15 to 24 across the Asia Pacific region, and presents teams with a series of tutorials and quizzes on identifying online misinformation. This year, over 4,000 participants from 28 countries took part, learning about fact-checking tools used in the real world. Each team had the chance to hone their investigative skills and learn from experts.

  We spoke with the winning team from India — made up of students Royal, Amitabh, and Rooka — about their thoughts on fact-checking. Royal attends the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, while Amitabh is a student at the Gaya College of Engineering, and Rooka studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Together they became the self-named team “Espionage Experts”, and experts they truly were! They had to solve more than 200 problems in order to win first place.

  How can news be more engaging for a younger audience?

  By providing a concise explanation of the story, news can definitely be enjoyable for younger audiences. Simple story formats, explainers and background context makes news easier to digest, but to truly engage younger audiences, media organizations need to consider more diverse points of view and experiment with different kinds of story-telling formats. They can give us a call if they want some tips!

  How aware do you think Gen Z is when it comes to online misinformation?

  We think the younger generation needs to be even more aware, as many people appear to be falling for misinformation online. Events like the Youth Verification Challenge are great initiatives that can be conducted to inform youths about how to discern true stories from misinformation in an engaging manner.

  Why do you think fact-checking is important?

  Fact-checking is very important in the present world. We believe that true stories should and must prevail. It is important for us to get into a habit of fact-checking, given the cognitive biases that make us (unfortunately) receptive to fake news. Fact-checking can help mitigate the threat that misinformation poses to factual accuracy.

  How will the team continue to bring fact-checking skills in their daily routine?

  We are really passionate about sharing our experiences and the skills we picked up from the Youth Verification Challenge, and aspire to help our communities get better at fact-checking, too. Beyond encouraging people around us to use fact-checking tools like Google’s Fact Check Explorer, we will also focus on developing new skills to adapt to external trends in today’s digital world. The tools and strategies we use now will change when technology and the world of disinformation inevitably changes. Things are evolving fast and we all have to keep up!

  Through the Youth Verification Challenge, we hope to keep encouraging younger internet users to fight misinformation as they equip themselves with the tools to approach the internet with confidence.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/news/how-gen-z-is-fighting-online-misinformation-in-asia-pacific/
• 

  Look to Speak launches in Ukraine
  • sorangutan  

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  Nearly two years ago, Google launched Look to Speak, an Android app that allows people to use their eyes to select pre-written phrases and have them spoken aloud. Since then, the app has launched in 18 additional languages. Most recently, we made the app available in Ukrainian to help refugees and veterans of the war.

  As a speech and language therapist working at Google, I’ve seen how technology can help people express their everyday needs, feelings and identity. To hear from someone about how Look to Speak can be particularly helpful in Ukraine where people are dealing with the injuries and side effects of war, I spoke with Oksana Lyalka, the founder and president of the Ukrainian Society for Speech and Language Therapy.

  What is the situation like for veterans and refugees of the war in Ukraine who have speech and motor impairments?

  Due to direct injuries and conditions caused by the war, the number of people with both motor and speech impairments are likely increasing. In addition, indirect impact like stress and malnutrition causes an increased risk of strokes, which can also lead to motor and speech impairments — and access to care remains limited. Also, for many refugees who left Ukraine and are in foreign countries, it’s difficult to get the help they need because many of them already have chronic impairments and their insurance does not cover therapy for communication disorders in another country. Plus, communication is a language-specific impairment. Meaning, it’s difficult to get the help they need in their native language outside of Ukraine.

  What are the specific challenges that people are facing?

  They are mainly left on their own with speech and motor impairments. Because: 1) There’s a shortage of speech language therapists. 2) There are even fewer who understand what these patients deal with. 3) Therapy is costly and not everyone has the resources to afford it, especially in war time.

  How could a tool like Look to Speak be helpful in Ukraine?

  When someone has only a speech disorder, they can still write to communicate. But when there are also motor disorders like we’ve discussed, people can end up with no way to communicate. With Look to Speak, even if someone can’t communicate using their mouth, they can communicate with their eyes. This allows caregivers and others in their environment to listen and understand in new ways. Communication is a two-way process, and the Look to Speak app can act as a bridge.

  The First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska on the Look to Speak app:

  "One of everyone’s fundamental needs is the ability to communicate and interact with those around them. For most people, it is unnoticeable and automatic, similar to breathing. However, due to various factors, a person may lose this ability and be unable to talk or use a computer, tablet, mobile phone, or other devices. Especially now, in times when the war daily multiplies the chances of finding oneself in such conditions, we as a society must unite and help each other as much as we can to overcome these terrible circumstances. One of the examples of Ukraine's responsible cooperation with world technological leaders is the localization of Google’s Look to Speak app. It helps people with motor and speech impairments to communicate using their eye movements. It is good to know that Ukrainian public organizations in health care, medical institutions, and everyone who needs it can use advanced digital solutions now adapted to the needs of Ukrainian users. I am sure that initiatives like Look to Speak will not only provide new opportunities for our citizens but will also serve as a model for other technological companies that are now supporting Ukraine."

  To learn more about Look to Speak in Ukraine, watch this video in Ukrainian.

  
  
  https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/accessibility/look-to-speak-launches-in-ukraine/
• 

  Expanding opportunities for Indigenous communities
  • sorangutan  

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  November is Native American Heritage Month in the U.S. and is an opportune time to educate and raise awareness about the achievements and unique challenges that Tribal Nations face — both historically and presently — and how tribal citizens have worked together to overcome those challenges. One such example is the impact the pandemic has had on tribal economies and Native American-owned businesses.

  As the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) — a long-time partner of Google — I’ve met many Native artisans and small-business owners over the past two years, who once had thriving businesses but now struggle to transition to online platforms to keep their businesses afloat. According to the U.S. Census, Native American-owned businesses contribute over $35 billion to the economy and employ over 200,000 people, yet one in six businesses (16.7%) have reported complete revenue losses due to the lingering impacts of the pandemic. Now, more than ever, our businesses require adequate resources for them to thrive, and there is no denying that technology is helping create that pathway forward.

  I’m thrilled to share that the Grow with Google Digital Coaches program, which equips businesses with robust digital skills to unlock growth opportunities, is expanding to train Native-led businesses with the help of a dedicated Digital Coach from the community. We’ll be able to further support Native-led businesses thanks to a new grant from Google.org to help NCAI strengthen digital skill training.

  

  I’m honored to introduce Henry Jake Foreman as Grow with Google’s first-ever Indigenous Community Digital Coach. As a Digital Coach, Jake will empower tribal small businesses with monthly digital skills workshops, local hands-on coaching opportunities, and events for businesses to come together and learn from one another. Jake is an Absentee Shawnee citizen who resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is a Program Director at New Mexico Community Capital. As a trainer for NCAI’s training program, incubated with support from Grow with Google, Jake has helped hundreds of Native American entrepreneurs in New Mexico develop skill sets to support and build their businesses. We’re excited to see Grow with Google build on the success of that collaboration as they expand the Digital Coaches program. Jake will now bring these trainings directly to tribal communities across Indian Country and partner with NCAI to host monthly national webinars beginning in 2023.

  In addition, Google.org is providing a $750,000 grant to support NCAI’s own institutional capacity and positioning in the Indigenous digital skilling space. NCAI will directly invest this into IT capabilities to foster a community of learning and distill best IT practices to contribute toward the broader ecosystem. This investment builds on the previous $1.25M in grants used to help support Native-owned businesses — all done in service of helping more Indigenous people to achieve success and help bridge Indian Country’s digital divide.

  Because Native-led businesses serve as the backbone for many tribal communities, it was a very special moment to first share this news with tribal leaders, NCAI members and Native youth at our NCAI 79th Annual Convention & Marketplace earlier this week. At the conference, we also had the pleasure of hosting Jake’s first digital skills workshop as a new Digital Coach. Undoubtedly, these tailored workshops and resources will help our businesses thrive online and grow tremendously. To learn more and sign up, visit g.co/grow/digitalcoachIC.

  
  
  https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/grow-with-google/native-american-history-month-2022-digital-skills-training/
• 

  Celebrate Native American artists in Chrome and ChromeOS
  • sorangutan  

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  It’s Native American Heritage Month in the U.S., a time when we honor the history, traditions and contributions of Native Americans. As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, I celebrate this month by taking time to reflect and express gratitude for my ancestors, the resilience of my tribe and other Indigenous people, and future generations carrying our tribal traditions forward.

  As a product manager at Google, I’m also proud of how we’re celebrating across our products. On Google Assistant, for example, just say “Happy Native American Heritage Month” or “Give me a fact about Native American Heritage” throughout the month of November to hear a collection of historical facts and stories from the Native American community. Meanwhile, a recent Doodle on Google’s homepage celebrated the history of Stickball, a traditional sport created by Indigenous tribes.

  

  We also commissioned five Native American artists to create a collection of themes for Chromebooks and Chrome browser. This collection has a special meaning to me because it showcases important traditions and reminds me of home. Richard D. York’s piece “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Uktena, or Horned Serpent)” in particular brings me back to my childhood listening to the stories of Uktena and other tales from my elders. A more solemn work, “A Lot Meant,” reminded me of growing up in Oklahoma and how historical policies like allotment impacted my family and so many others.

  Now available globally, these themes reflect the unique experiences and identities of each artist. Here’s what they shared about their work:

  • A Chromebook wallpaper showing three ravens — colored red, green and blue — flying against a crescent moon.

    “Primary Ravens” by Crystal Worl
    “These three primary ravens of red, green and blue come together to create a broad array of colors. Together they are tricksters, mischievous, curious; on this snowy evening, they are perhaps scheming to create something new.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper showing a raven outlined in white against a red-orange background.

    “Yéil (Raven)” by James P. Johnson
    “I belong to the Dakl'aweidi Clan (Killerwhale) and follow the Tlingit art form of my ancestors. Everything I do is inspired by my son Elias, who was born with a life-threatening genetic disorder called Cystic fibrosis. Gunalcheesh.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper showing a geometric box containing an image of a desert landscape against the horizon.

    “Yupkoyvi (Chaco Canyon)” by Michael Namingha
    “I was inspired by the changing landscape of the West. Yupkoyvi, ‘the place beyond the horizon,’ is sacred to the Hopi and Puebloan people, and is under threat by oil and gas development. We have a duty to protect this land.”

  • A Chromebook wallpaper with an image of a coyote on a hillside with a constellation of stars in the background.

    “Constellation Mix” by Noah Lee
    “In Diné folklore, the ‘Holy People’ are deities that created the constellations and the impatient coyote, a chaotic trickster, scattered the stars into a mess. In this theme, the milky way reflects a pathway from earth to heaven.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper with an abstract image of a dragon with shades of green, blue, yellow, purple and white.

    “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Horned Serpent)” by Richard D. York
    “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Horned Serpent) is a malevolent dragon of Cherokee stories. Whoever captures its crystal becomes a great healer. Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee writing system, worked to help our people and preserve our culture. Saving our culture is like facing ᎤᎧᏖᎾ.”

  To apply one of these themes (or others from Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ artists) to your Chrome browser, visit the Chrome Web Store collection, select a theme and click "Add to Chrome." You can also open a new tab and click the “Customize Chrome” button on the bottom right to explore background collections. To apply one of these wallpapers to your Chromebook, right-click your desktop, choose "Set wallpaper and style," then select "Native American Artists.”

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/chrome/celebrate-native-american-artists-in-chrome-and-chromeos/
• 

  3 ways to keep audiences engaged in a content-driven world
  • sorangutan  

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  Consumers navigate a widening variety of digital content from text to image to video—and they choose to spend their time in the experiences that feel most natural and intuitive for them. Working with Ipsos, we've identified three ways to keep your audience engaged across platforms throughout the holiday season, plus new retail-ready formats and creative tools to help you drive growth into the new year.

  • A carousel that shows three research insights about consumer behavior in Google feeds

    Source: Google/Ipsos, Consumer Feed Behavior Research, August 2022

  • A carousel that shows three research insights about consumer behavior in Google feeds

    Source: Google/Ipsos, Consumer Feed Behavior Research, August 2022

  • A carousel that shows three research insights about consumer behavior in Google feeds

    Source: Google/Ipsos, Consumer Feed Behavior Research, August 2022

  1. Create more tailored experiences for deeper engagement

  Over half of mobile consumers use Google and YouTube alongside other platforms when researching products or brands to try,[722e02]and 91% say they took action immediately after discovering new products or brands.[b8e752]Once they do, consumers also expect brands to deliver experiences that are relevant and helpful. In fact, two in five say they enjoy exploring Google feeds for shopping ideas because they are more personalized.[1fe581]

  With product feeds for Discovery ads now available in beta, advertisers can show shoppers items based on their interests and intent. Specifically, individual retailers can now use lifestyle images and short text with their Google Merchant Center catalog to deliver more relevant ad experiences. For example, a consumer interested in fitness and fashion might see sneakers in a variety of colors and styles from a new brand in their content feed on YouTube or the Google app.

  An example of ads for Puma across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.

  Puma switched to product feeds from standard Discovery ads to promote its catalog during key seasons, and saw a +46% increase in return-on-ad-spend while lowering costs by 19%. “Product feeds for Discovery ads offered more ways to expand our social-style assets across new platforms,” says Ashley Anderson, Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Puma. “Personalization and great performance made it easy to efficiently scale our spend.”

  For tips to help you craft engaging Discovery ads with product feeds, see our creative best practices.

  2. Take an asset-first approach for bigger creative impact

  Keeping today's consumer engaged across platforms requires creative finesse at scale—and a multi-asset approach for campaigns like social and video to enable more visual and authentic storytelling. Nearly half of consumers say they are more likely to purchase a new product or brand they see in a video ad.[1adffc]

  You can now scale your assets to Shorts, YouTube's new short-form video experience, to drive visual momentum with consumers watching everything from workout clips to recipe walkthroughs. You can make the most of this mobile canvas by bringing your best vertical video and image assets to the Shorts experience with Video action and now Discovery campaigns for images.

  We've seen this asset-first creative approach across campaigns drive better results: more than 60% of advertisers who combine Video action campaigns with Discovery ads see incremental conversions at or below their original cost-per-action.[e34b92]

  

  Source: Google/Ipsos, Consumer Feed Behavior Research, August 2022

  3. Upgrade your storytelling with authentic and diverse representation

  And last, but not least: building assets to scale doesn't have to mean relying on stock photos and generic visuals. 43% of consumers say that they are more likely to click on ads featuring people from a variety of backgrounds,[bd5d5d]and over half say that they are more likely to click on ads that feature people using a product.[094bee]For the biggest impact with your audience, frame your visuals and calls to action around the wide variety of consumers who reflect your market.

  We're committed to helping you build more helpful and relevant ads that help consumers engage with your business. Check out our latest tools and resources below to learn how you can:

  • Build compelling creative variations at scale with Ads Creative Studio.
  • Adapt your existing assets for YouTube Shorts with our video creation and enhancement tools available in the Asset Library.
  • Finally, get richer creative insights to help you optimize your assets for better performance with asset reporting and audience asset insights.

  We hope these insights and creative tools help you drive growth now and in the new year with more effective, engaging ads.

  
  
  https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/engage-audience-in-content-driven-world/