Category: Google
Google to ban targeted ads based on political affiliation
Google will no longer allow voters to be targeted by advertisers based on their political affiliation, the company has announced. Election audience advertisements will now be limited to the general categories of age, gender and general location. The tech giant said that the changes would be implemented in order to improve voter confidence in digital…
Google Assistant can now book cinema tickets for you
The Google Assistant can help UK users find and book cinema tickets using only voice commands for the first time, the technology giant has announced. Google’s virtual assistant has been added to the Chrome web browser on Android smartphones and can now guide users through tasks with only minimal contact with their device required. The…
Developers reveal missing features from Google Stadia
Several key features will not be ready when the Google Stadia gaming platform launches in less than a week’s time, developers at the firm have revealed. Stadia is a cloud-based service which will stream games to players via an internet connection instead of requiring them to be downloaded, with Google’s servers handling much of the…
Google Chrome to shame sites that load slowly
A badge highlighting websites that typically load slowly could land within Google Chrome in the future (Google/PA) Google could soon call out websites that load slowly by displaying a badge of shame within its Chrome web browser. The tech giant said it believes the web “can do better” and is considering…
Google to add open eyes detection to Pixel 4 face unlocking ‘in coming months’
Google has said a requirement for eyes to be open when using face unlocking on its Pixel 4 smartphone will be added “in the coming months”. The move is in response to concern from early testers of the new handset, after it emerged that face unlock worked with eyes closed, raising fears that it could…
Is Google Pixel 4 smartphone good enough to sway buyers?
The new Google Pixel 4 smartphone has impressed experts and analysts but some believe star features like the camera may not be enough to lure people away from Apple and Samsung’s stronghold. The firm revealed the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL on Tuesday, boasting its ability to take astronomical photos of the night sky…
Google creates deepfake videos to tackle misinformation
Google has created thousands of manipulated deepfake videos as it gears up to tackle the next level of misinformation online. Deepfakes commonly use artificial intelligence software to combine and superimpose existing images and videos of a person to make it look like they have said or done something they have not. While there have been…
Google wins case to keep ‘right to be forgotten’ EU-only
Europe’s top court has told Google it does not have to make the “right to be forgotten” available worldwide. The measure already allows citizens in EU countries to demand any results about them considered “inadequate, irrelevant or… excessive” to be removed, if the search is carried out in an EU country – even though the…
Google Search marks Friends’ 25th anniversary
Google is commemorating the 25th anniversary of US sitcom Friends by hiding so-called “Easter eggs” within its search results. The series, which premiered on September 22 1994, has found long-term success, with Netflix reportedly paying $100 million (about £80 million) for streaming rights to the show in 2018. To celebrate 25 years since the first…
Google teams up with UK regional publisher to save local news
(Lewis Stickley/PA) Google is teaming up with one the UK’s biggest regional news publishers in a bid to find new ways of making local digital journalism viable in a world dominated by social media. The tech giant is working with Archant, the company behind more than 50 newspaper titles across…