Fact checkers are on the front line in the fight against mis and disinformation. Everyday, they use their verification and investigation skills to determine what can and can’t be trusted so that online browsers can avoid false claims.  Every year, reliable facts become more important but every year, we continue to see bad actors spread false and misleading claims. We want to support fact checkers to address these claims as soon as possible and reach as many people as possible when they do.  Building on our important work with a new partnership with AAP  We are excited to an ..read more

Image alt text: New Zealanders participating in kapa haka to show kotahitanga, unity, in celebration of Waitangi Day 2024. Poi, pukana and kapa haka are a shared experience for many people all across New Zealand, whether participating or watching.  Vincent Egan of Māui Studios has created an image of kotahitanga through kapa haka in today’s Waitangi Day Doodle. “The Doodle artwork delivers a message of kotahitanga - the importance of unity and a celebration of our collective cultures in Aotearoa New Zealand. This piece is a tohu, or symbol, of how awesome we are as a people when ..read more

Image: Te Rito journalism cadets learning at Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae marae in September 2023 For over twenty years the Google News Initiative has worked to help local news organisations adapt to digital transformation, and 2023 was no different. Our goal, globally and here in Aotearoa, is to help  news media companies as they build sustainable businesses, connect with readers and engage audiences in a digital environment.  In the past year, as outlined below, our programmes in New Zealand have engaged dozens of publishers and more than 100 journalists, providing critical informat ..read more

A census and a cyclone. An austere Coronation and the humble cookie. And defining ‘culvert’. Here are the top trending queries that captivated Kiwis this year. Image: Year in Search 2023 illustration by local artist Sarah May Little As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the moments, milestones and mysteries that captured Kiwi’s attention this year.  We tried to make sense of historic events, both on our shores and further afield. We grappled with cyclones and flooding, elected a new Government and hosted the world’s women’s soccer teams. We mourned the loss of the univ ..read more

Alt text: A white Nest WiFi Pro sits on a stack of white books on a white dresser. A piece of artwork, a lamp and a bowl also sit on top of the dresser. There are days when our home’s Wi-Fi feels a bit crowded. One family member might be using it to take virtual meetings, while another streams their favourite show, and another downloads the latest game. And they all rely on a fast and reliable connection. Our latest Wi-Fi system, Nest Wifi Pro, with Wi-Fi 6E technology is a new advanced mesh Wi-Fi system that helps make all those home connections faster, more reliable and simpler to manage ..read more

Alt text: Video of men and women exercising and interacting while all wearing Charge 6. Work out smarter and understand your body better with the new Fitbit Charge 6, available for pre-order today. (1) Charge 6 helps you stay on track with your goals thanks to advanced health sensors that, combined with a new machine learning algorithm, bring you our most accurate heart rate tracking on a Fitbit tracker yet,(2) and the ability to connect to compatible gym equipment and fitness apps to see your real-time heart rate during workouts. Plus, it’s helpful when you’re on the go with its new h ..read more

Image: Te Rito cadets engaging in a korero during the training camp. Indigenous people are the first storytellers of any land - from Waitangi to Rakiura Stewart Island. It’s important that their stories are told to nurture communities and tell histories. This is critical too in our news ecosystem. Which is why Te Rito Journalism Project was set up to help address today’s shortage of Māori and Pasifika journalists and cultural awareness in newsrooms. For the second year, the Google News Initiative has supported Te Rito with a digital skills training camp for its cadets, to bring the rich ..read more

Image: Google Doodle for Election Day Come October 2023, New Zealanders will take to the polls to vote in the General Election to decide who we want to represent us and our communities in Parliament.  To support the democratic process, Google is bringing more openness to election advertising online, and helping connect people to useful and relevant election-related information. Here is how we will be providing support: Helping voters find the information they need In the build-up to elections, people need helpful and authoritative information to help them navigate the electoral pro ..read more

Cloud technology plays a critical role in solving complex problems for Aotearoa — across both national and local levels and today, I’m pleased to share that Google Cloud has signed an All-of-Government Cloud Framework Agreement with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), to accelerate public sector cloud adoption to deliver improved digital experiences for Kiwis. Simply put, this means that eligible government agencies will have standardised and simplified access to our technology and services so they can modernise their legacy systems and build new applications that serve New Zealander ..read more

Today, I’m proud to launch Google’s 2022 Economic Impact Report.  The report by Access Partnership investigates how digital technologies can help New Zealand tackle two critical national challenges: the growing digital skills gap and the increasing risk of natural disasters. By addressing these we can build our resilience and gain up to $18 billion in 2030*. The report also looks at the ways Google is supporting New Zealand households and businesses into the digital future — to the tune of $16.5 billion worth of economic benefits in 2022. Using digital technologies to solve critica ..read more