As the 2025 midterm elections in the Philippines approach, Filipinos are turning to Google and YouTube for the latest election news. Both have taken proactive steps to connect voters to reliable information online.
Google and YouTube – Midterm Elections 2025
An information panel will appear about the search results that highlights a 2025 senatorial candidate when users search for something related to a candidate on YouTube. This includes the political party and a click-through to Google Search to learn more.
On Election Day, YouTube viewers will find a prominent shelf on the homepage showcasing live coverage from authoritative news organizations. It will feature streams in both English and Filipino, and it enables viewers to follow the election news and results as they unfold.
In addition, on May 12, the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) “How to vote” playlist will be promoted on YouTube. Meanwhile, on Search, Google’s ranking systems are designed to elevate authoritative information and provide context on a variety of election-related information.
Safeguarding Platforms from Abuse
Protecting the integrity of elections also means keeping Google and YouTube products safe from abuse. The company has policies to keep its platforms safe, and these apply to everyone and for all types of content, including elections.
YouTube’s Community Guidelines determine what is not allowed on the platform and apply to all content. Content that misleads voters on how to vote or encourages interference in the democratic process is prohibited. These types of content and those that incite violence, encourage hatred, promote harmful conspiracy theories, or threaten election workers are quickly removed by the platform.
The latest Transparency Report shows the country ranked 8th globally for videos removed for violating YouTube policies between October and December 2024.
Helping People Navigate AI-generated Content
Google and YouTube have introduced policies and tools to help people navigate the rise of AI-generated content. These include:
- Content labels on YouTube – the platform requires creators to disclose whether the video they uploaded contains any altered or synthetic content
- Providing voters with additional context – “About this Image” in Search helps people assess the credibility and context of images found online
- Digital watermarking – Google is committed to finding ways to ensure every image generated through its products has embedded watermarking with DeepMind’s SynthID
- Industry collaboration – both have joined the C2PA coalition and standard, a global cross-industry effort to help provide more transparency and context for people no AI-generated content
Supporting Media Literacy Programs and COMELEC
Google and YouTube will not allow political ads during the election cycle. Instead, the company is proactively supporting the COMELEC and media literacy efforts to ensure voters can access useful, trustworthy information across its platforms.
Google has been investing in local media literacy programs to teach readers to identify trusted information. It includes entering into partnerships with organizations like CANVAS in creating a media literacy magazine called YOUTHink.
“Supporting the elections is important to Google and YouTube. 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.”
Yves Gonzalez, Google Philippines Head of Public Policy and Government Relations
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
