Google has recently unveiled a series of updates designed to guide individuals to polling places, present election outcomes, and facilitate access to current election coverage across its various platforms and services, including Search, Assistant, and YouTube. The company announced it will collaborate once more with the Associated Press (AP) to deliver trustworthy election results information on both Google Search and Assistant. It also affirmed previous reports indicating it will not display political advertisements on its platform following the close of polls on November 3.

The plans for Google to prohibit political ads after election day were initially reported by Axios, referencing a communication sent to advertising clients. This communication informed advertisers that they would be unable to run advertisements “relating to candidates, the election, or its results, considering the unprecedented volume of votes expected to be tallied after election day this year.”

Google substantiated this action when the initial report surfaced, providing an official statement.

Today, Google published comprehensive details regarding its decision in a company blog post, explaining that it will implement its Sensitive Events policy immediately after the polls close on November 3, due to the potential for “delayed election results this year” and to “minimize the possibility of advertisements contributing to post-election confusion.”

Specifically, the policy states that Google prohibits:

Advertisements that could generate profit from or take advantage of a sensitive event with substantial social, cultural, or political consequences, such as civil emergencies, natural disasters, public health crises, terrorism and associated actions, conflict, or widespread acts of violence

Google is not the sole technology leader addressing political advertising during this active election period. Facebook broadened its ban on political advertisements this month, stating that such ads would be blocked indefinitely after November 3. Twitter previously decided to ban political ads last year.

In Google’s situation, the company characterizes its political ad ban as a “temporary suspension,” and specifies that it applies to advertisements referencing “the 2020 election, the candidates, or its outcome.”

The company also used this time to highlight other voting and election-related efforts currently in progress, including its continuing activities during election seasons to assist people in locating voter registration details and important election deadlines. It is also directing users to voting locations and ballot drop-off sites through Google Maps.

On YouTube, users are being directed to pertinent election-related search findings, voter registration information, and instructions on how to vote.

This year, Google emphasized its partnership with the AP to deliver election results within Google Search and Assistant. The two companies have collaborated on previous elections as well.

Users will find a new election module featuring data from the AP when they search for “election results” on Google Search or inquire, “Hey Google, what are the latest election results?” The data will encompass both national and state-level races in over 70 languages, according to Google.

YouTube will simultaneously present real-time election broadcasts from leading news organizations and provide links to coverage on Google Search. Google News will also feature a dedicated 2020 U.S. Election section, allowing users to follow both local and national news.