Google and YouTube are introducing tools and safety measures ahead of the May 12, 2025 midterm elections in the Philippines to help voters access trustworthy information and protect their platforms from abuse.
“Supporting the elections is important to Google and YouTube,” said Yves Gonzalez, head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google Philippines. “As Filipinos prepare for the May 12 elections, we are committed to robust collaboration with the government, industry, media, and civil society. Together, we will help ensure that voters have access to authoritative information and safeguard our platforms from abuse.”
When users search for a senatorial candidate on YouTube, an information panel will appear above the search results, showing details such as political affiliation and linking to additional resources on Google Search. On Election Day, YouTube’s homepage will feature a dedicated section for live streams from verified news organizations in both English and Filipino.
Fighting misinformation and protecting users
YouTube will also promote Comelec’s “How to vote” playlist on May 12, offering a step-by-step guide and requirements for casting votes.
Google’s Search engine will continue to highlight results from credible sources. Its ranking systems are designed to provide context around election topics, helping voters find accurate and relevant information.
Google and YouTube are enforcing strict policies against misleading or harmful content. YouTube’s Community Guidelines ban content that misleads voters or promotes interference in the election process. Content that encourages violence, hate, or harmful conspiracy theories is also removed. Between October and December 2024, over 153,000 videos from the Philippines were taken down for violating YouTube’s policies.
Tools for handling AI content
Google and YouTube also enable people to navigate AI-generated content. On YouTube, creators must disclose when content is synthetic or altered, and labels are added to notify viewers. For election-related content, labels appear directly on the video player.
Google Search now features “About this Image” to help users verify image credibility, and Gemini offers a “double-check” option to assess whether AI responses are backed by web content. Images generated by Google tools now carry a digital watermark using DeepMind’s SynthID.
Training and support for election coverage
In partnership with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Google has offered training workshops on how to use its tools and report harmful content. The company has also supported media literacy programs like YOUTHink magazine to help voters identify reliable information.
“A well-informed electorate is fundamental to Comelec’s mission for credible elections,” said Comelec Chair George Erwin Mojica Garcia. “We thank and commend Google for their continued, valuable contributions in ensuring Filipinos have accessible and reliable election information online, empowering them to make informed choices for the midterm elections.”