We're pleased to be back to contribute to this important study and discussion that you're having with respect to the evolving media ecosystem, including emerging concerns around misrepresentative content or what some refer to as fake news.
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. At the heart of that mission is the firm belief that a world that is more informed makes better decisions and leads to better outcomes. Accordingly, we take our role in connecting people to the best available information online very seriously.
Our users expect us to show results that include authoritative reporting from objective and informed journalists and publishers. Hence, we constantly invest in innovation to improve the quality of our results and are deeply committed to ensuring that credible and quality news sources survive and thrive on the web. We are equally committed to the Internet as an open ecosystem for expression and knowledge.
A free and open web is a vital resource for businesses and citizens in Canada and the world, and ensures that the public has access to a range of diverse viewpoints. It enables the widest possible range of innovation, experimentation, and creativity, allowing news publishers to experiment with new business models, reach new audiences, and succeed on their own terms.
Dealing with propaganda and misinformation is a perennial challenge. Rumours, misinformation, inaccurate reporting, and propaganda have been issues for the past two centuries, from pamphlets to hoaxes, from tabloids to false accusations against opposing candidates in political campaigns. The Internet has made it easier for publishers to distribute such information, but at the same time, it has also made it easier than ever for citizens to find and access reputable sources and get more facts to counter propaganda and misinformation.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed properly. Drawing a line between what constitutes fake news and what is otherwise shoddy or inaccurate reporting, opinion, or advocacy can be arbitrary and challenging. Facts are often hard to verify and even reputable sources can provide varied and inaccurate accounts.
Google favours an approach built on maximizing access to information to users rather than acting as arbiters of truth. This is a challenge that's at the very core of our corporate mission and values. As our CEO, Sundar Pichai said, we will “work hard to make sure we drive news to its more trusted sources”. We understand that this is a complex issue and want to be thoughtful in any of our responses.
There are a number of ways in which Google is working to ensure users have access to high-quality information on the web. We respect that same old, same old isn't good enough. We want to keep pioneering efforts to serve the best possible results to users and support the success of the news ecosystem.
Today, I want to highlight three approaches to this issue that we think are the most pertinent to this committee's investigation. First is a collaborative approach with news organizations driving traffic to news sites through Google News and initiatives like Google's News Lab. Second is our recently announced labelling of fact-checked articles, and third is our efforts to tackle the issue at the source, targeting bad ads, sites, and scammers online.
Aaron.