Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Others Join Hands in Covid-19 Response Efforts

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, some of the largest technology firms in the world are coming together to ramp up the world's coronavirus response efforts. Earlier yesterday, a joint industry statement was issued by technology giants Facebook, Google and Microsoft, along with Advance Publications' Reddit, independent organisation Twitter, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn and Alphabet-owned YouTube. The statement falls in line with the steadily increasing impact of the coronavirus across the world, with the largest technology corporations of the world now throwing in their financial and technological might to help arrest the virus and assist scientists in developing a cure.

The statement, issued jointly by the seven entities, says, "We are working closely together on Covid-19 response efforts. We're helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world. We invite other companies to join us as we work to keep our communities healthy and safe."

Misinformation has been one of the biggest issues with any global event, and with the critical nature of the coronavirus at hand, it has been imperative to have accurate information to rely upon. Google, on this note, announced multiple measures such as search results, ad optimisation and reliance on verified channels, while Microsoft has introduced a coronavirus tracker map through Bing search to stay seamlessly updated. Facebook yesterday announced a grant for small businesses facing significant losses due to coronavirus, alongside steps to promote verified information only across its platforms.

Now, with a join initiative pledged, technology giants can potentially have a significant impact on having people not promote misinformation about coronavirus, and also work with governments to bring forth public tools that can be of great importance. Going forward, the seven companies have invited more from the technology world to come forward and join this venture.