As the 2025 Philippine midterm elections draw near, Filipinos are increasingly turning to Google and YouTube for trustworthy election updates. In response, both platforms have introduced new features aimed at helping voters access reliable information while safeguarding their services from misuse.
When users search for 2025 senatorial candidates on YouTube, they will see information panels that highlight key details such as political affiliations, along with links to Google Search for more in-depth content.
On Election Day, YouTube’s homepage will feature a prominent section with live news coverage from credible media outlets, available in both English and Filipino. In addition, YouTube will promote the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) “How to Vote” playlist on May 12, offering step-by-step voting guides and essential requirements.
On Google Search, the platform’s ranking systems are designed to prioritize authoritative sources, helping users find accurate and contextual information on various election-related topics.
Protecting the platforms from abuse
To preserve the integrity of the elections, Google and YouTube enforce strict policies that apply across all content, regardless of creator or political stance. YouTube prohibits misinformation about voting processes and removes content that incites violence, promotes hate, or spreads harmful conspiracies.
From October to December 2024 alone, YouTube removed over 153,000 videos in the Philippines for policy violations, placing the country eighth globally in enforcement numbers. Repeated violations can lead to permanent channel removal.
Navigating AI-generated content
With the rise of AI-generated media, Google and YouTube have rolled out tools to help users identify and understand such content:
- Content Labels on YouTube: Creators must disclose altered or synthetic elements in videos. Labels will appear in video descriptions and on the player for election-related content.
- “About this Image” in Search: Helps users assess the credibility and origin of images online.
- Watermarking: Google embeds watermarks using DeepMind’s SynthID on AI-generated images.
- C2PA Membership: Google and YouTube are part of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, promoting transparency through standardized metadata.
Additionally, Google provides AI training workshops for newsrooms, empowering journalists with tools and frameworks to use generative AI in responsible and innovative ways—particularly in covering the elections.
Supporting media literacy and COMELEC
While political ads will be barred from both platforms during the election period, Google is ramping up support for media literacy and COMELEC initiatives.
Google has partnered with organizations like CANVAS to publish YOUTHink, a media literacy magazine tailored for Filipino youth and translated into languages such as Filipino, Cebuano, and Ilocano. The company also provided COMELEC with training workshops focused on platform safety, policy enforcement, and reporting tools, helping the commission swiftly escalate and address harmful content.
“Supporting the elections is important to Google and YouTube,” said Yves Gonzalez, Head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google Philippines. “As Filipinos head to the polls on May 12, we remain committed to working with government, media, and civil society to ensure access to accurate information and secure online platforms.”
“A well-informed electorate is vital to credible elections,” said COMELEC Chairperson George Erwin Mojica Garcia. “We thank Google for their ongoing efforts to help voters make informed decisions through accessible and reliable digital resources.”