Supporting HBCU students on the path to tech careers

Last weekend I was welcomed back to my “home by the sea” — Hampton University, located on Chesapeake Bay — as the co-grand marshal for this year’s homecoming festivities along with fellow alumna Dr. Dietra Trent, White House Director of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) initiatives. As a proud Hampton alumna and Google’s Chief Diversity Officer, it gives me great pride to continue Google’s long-standing partnership with the HBCU community.

I’ve seen firsthand the impact HBCU graduates are having on the next generation of leaders and thinkers across today’s industries, including tech. In a recent United Negro College Fund (UNCF) study, despite only making up 3% of the nation’s colleges and universities, HBCUs produce almost 20% of all African American graduates and 25% of African American graduates with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees.

A woman in sunglasses, wearing a blue blazer and white shirt, stands beside a black sports car with a white sign in the window that reads “Hampton Grand Marshall.”

Melonie Parker, Google’s Chief Diversity Officer at Hampton’s homecoming.

At Google, we remain steadfast in our investment and support for HBCUs, and we’ve partnered closely with them to build pathways to tech. One way we’ve done that is by welcoming students from 15 HBCUs for full-time roles and internships in the last year alone, and we've expanded our recruiting efforts to more than 900 schools in the last decade. We’ve also invested in programming to further opportunities and pathways for HBCU and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) students, including:

  • Tech Exchange, a semester-long immersive program for select HBCU and HSI students, has quadrupled in size and expanded to serve students from 16 HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions since launching in 2017.
  • Our Pathways to Tech initiative was designed to build equity for HBCU computing education, help job seekers find tech roles, and ensure that Black employees have growth opportunities and feel included at work.
  • The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program, a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, brings digital skills training into the career centers of HBCUs. The program recently expanded to 20 HBCUs, and aims to help 20,000 students learn digital skills by the end of the current school year.
  • Finally, our Google in Residence (GIR) program gives experienced Google software engineers the chance to teach introductory computer science classes, which have reached more than 8,000 HBCU and HSI students since 2013. Two of our GIR students actually became instructors this year, and many have gone on to internships in our Student Training in Engineering Program and full-time software engineering roles at Google.

We also recognize the unique needs of students, faculty and staff within each of these historic institutions. I meet regularly with the HBCU Presidents’ Council, which advises on creating and executing meaningful programming that meets the needs of HBCU students. In 2021, we provided a $50 million grant to 10 HBCUs to support scholarships, invest in technical infrastructure for in-class and remote learning, and develop curricula and career support programs.

To build on this, Monday I was honored to announce a $5 million Google.org grant to Spelman College’s Center for Minority Women in STEM. A team of Google.org Fellows will partner with Spelman to build the first database that will conduct and publicize research on the experiences of women from historically underrepresented groups in STEM. The findings will be used to help empower and elevate women in STEM fields. This week we also announced $300,000 in funding for 18 HBCU and HSI partners to support faculty and students in tech majors. We plan to distribute this funding annually to enable growth and retention in computer science departments.

Finally, supporting our HBCU and HSI partners means showing up and continuing to shine a light on these historic and critical institutions:

  • We were proud to sponsor the National HBCU Week Conference organized by the The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The event brought together more than 1,500 HBCU students, faculty and community leaders from across the U.S. for the first time since 2019. We hosted panels and workshops on career opportunities, resume building and personal brands.
  • Just last month we were the halftime sponsor at the inaugural HBCU New York Football Classic. More than 35,000 fans gathered in the stands for the September 17 game between Morehouse College and Howard University as part of HBCU Week. Our sponsorship included scholarships to 105 HBCU students and a partnership with HBCU Tools for School, a nonprofit that provides access to tools, resources and networks critical for academic success.
  • Finally, we’re working with the NBA Foundation on an upcoming promotion where a portion of proceeds from Pixel sales on the Google Store will go to HBCUs.
Melonie Parker and others share why HBCUs are an important partner in our work to expand equity
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For more than a century, HBCUs have been a driving force in the cultivation of academic excellence and professional achievement within the Black community. We will continue to do our part to support these institutions, and their students, as we work to make tech more inclusive and representative at all levels of the workforce.

7 Google Photos tips for perfecting your pics on Pixel 7

Our new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have incredible cameras for capturing your memories, but snapping a photo is just the beginning. We all want to get our photos looking just right to share them and reminisce. Thanks to advances in machine learning, Google Photos is packed with powerful editing features that are a breeze to use.

Here are seven tips to get your photos — both new ones taken on a Pixel 7 and old ones from past years (and phones) — looking picture-perfect with Google Photos on Pixel 7.

1. Fix blurry shots with Photo Unblur

Bring your blurry photos back into focus with just a few taps using Photo Unblur, a brand-new feature only on Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Photo Unblur removes blur and visual noise so you can relive the moment as clearly as you remember it. Best of all, it even works on pictures in your library taken with a different phone or camera and scanned images.

Before and after animation of a picture with Photo Unblur applied to it.

2. Get rid of distractions with Magic Eraser

Magic Eraser, which was introduced last year, can detect distractions in your photos — like photobombers in the background, power lines and power poles. Just a few taps to remove them and, poof, gone. You can also circle or brush what you want to remove. No need to be precise — Magic Eraser will figure out what you’re trying to remove.

Before and after animation of a picture with background distractions removed using Magic Eraser

Bonus Magic Eraser tip: Don’t want to remove a distraction entirely, but want it to blend in a bit more? Use Camouflage in Magic Eraser to change the color of distracting objects in your photo. In just a few taps, the object’s colors and shading blend in naturally with the rest of the photo.

3. Make your subject stand out with Portrait blur

Portrait mode in the Pixel Camera can really make your subject shine. But what if you forgot to use it when snapping a picture or you want to edit a picture from the past? With Portrait blur, Google Photos can intelligently blur the background on photos of people — plus pets, food, flowers and more — post-snap.

Before and after animation of a picture of a butterfly on a flower with Portrait blur added to it.

4. Improve the lighting on faces with Portrait light

A good portrait can be hard to capture, especially if the lighting isn’t quite right or you took the photo with an older phone or camera. Use Portrait light to easily improve the lighting on faces, and you can even adjust the light position and brightness to customize your look.

Before and after animation of a selfie picture with Portrait light applied to it.

5. Bring balance to your photos with the HDR effect

If you’ve got older pictures with a dark foreground and bright background (or vice versa), it can be hard to make out all the details in the shot. Enter the HDR effect to help balance things out — enhancing the brightness and contrast across the image so you can soak in every detail.

Before and after animation of a picture of a mountain with the HDR edit applied to it.

6. Change up the mood and tone of your sunset pics with sky suggestions

Chances are you’ve got quite a few sunset photos in your library that didn’t quite capture the beauty of what you saw in the moment. How do you revive it and make it stand out from all the rest? Use sky suggestions to put your own creative twist on your golden hour images. Select from several palettes that adjust the color and contrast of the sky to change up the mood and tone of your pic to get it ready to share.

Before and after animation of a picture of a sunset with a sky edit applied to it.

7. Use the collage editor to make shareable creations

Make creative, shareable collages with the new collage editor. Pick up to six photos and select from more than 50 designs available to Pixel users. You can easily rearrange the layout with simple drag-and-drop controls and even edit each photo in the collage individually to get just the right look.

Animation showing various styles available in the collage editor in Google Photos.

Get creative and mix and match all of these features to create a stunning image that’s ready to share. Remove a photobomber in the background, then combine Photo Unblur, Portrait light and Portrait blur to create a fresh image that gives your memory new life.

Before and after animation of a picture with Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, Portrait light and Portrait blur applied to it.

With Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, all the tools you need to perfect your photos or put a creative spin on them are right in Google Photos. Get to editing and share your best creations on social with the hashtag #FixedOnPixel.

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Give it a shot: Check out these 10 new camera upgrades on Pixel 7 and 7 Pro

Take a closer look at why this is our best photo and video experience we’ve ever had on a Pixel phone.

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Kwentuhan: Sharing our stories this Filipino American History Month

“Kwentuhan” roughly translates to “sharing stories” in English. For Filipino American History Month, or Kapamilya Month as our Filipino Googler Network refers to it, we sat down with Paolo Malabuyo, Director of User Experience in Google Maps and executive sponsor of the Filipino Googler Network, to learn about his story.

As a child growing up in the Philippines, we heard you were somewhat of a Lego competition legend. How did this kickstart your interest in working in UX and design?

I was the youngest of four and I always felt like I was in the shadow of my older, smarter, more athletic and more accomplished siblings. I don’t recall having many ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up, until my grandmother immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and started sending small handfuls of Lego pieces through the mail.

This started my fascination with Lego and culminated in my participation in Lego competitions across the Philippines. I still think that the greatest job in the world is designing Lego sets.

  • Paolo standing with two Lego boxes on either side of him. In front of him on the table is a fully constructed Lego set.

    Paolo with his winning build and prizes.

  • Paolo sitting at a table building a Lego set in a room full of others also focused on their Lego creations. To his right, a man stands over his shoulder watching him build the set

    A younger Paolo during a Lego competition with Larry Alcala, famous Filipino cartoonist, looking on as a judge.

  • Four people sit on a stage for a panel discussion

    Paolo (third from left) on a panel of designers at Adobo Design Week in Manila, Philippines

I immigrated to the States right before my 12th birthday and picked up drawing, reading, and crafting. This developed into a real affinity for art. I ended up getting a BFA in art and minors in communication design, art history and Chinese studies. I also took basic programming classes and learned web design by emulating early websites.

Like Lego pieces, my early days of creatively building, combined with my art education and CS study were what constructed my career today. I got my first role as a graphic designer which started my roundabout journey to become a UX designer, leader and educator.

Can you talk about your role at Google?

I lead the cross-disciplinary user experience teams for Geo Auto and Geo Sustainability. In Auto, we design and deliver the in-car, embedded Google Maps experiences for navigation, routing, and situational awareness so that drivers are safer and more confident, with a major focus on electric vehicles. In Sustainability, we provide platforms, insights, and solutions that help users and partners tackle climate change – the preeminent challenge for humanity today. It’s an incredibly interesting portfolio and it’s such a privilege to work with our teams and clients.

As an executive sponsor for the FIlipino Googler Network, I get to work closely with other teams across Google on projects that impact the Filipino community. One example is the work happening on Maps to help business owners identify themselves, including the introduction of the Asian-owned attribute earlier this year. This attribute will help many Filipino businesses be recognized by current and future customers.

What else is Google doing in support of Filipino culture?

It’s great to see how Google’s products and services are celebrating Filipino culture and elevating our voices. This month, we ran a beautiful Google Doodle in the Philippines which celebrated the Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sailing competition from the southern part of the country.

Six sailboats with the letters on the flags spelling GOOGLE.

Google TV is highlighting recent movies and TV shows that tell Filipino American stories and feature Filipino American lead actors in its “For you” tab.

The Google TV interface on the For you page displaying an image of Jacob Batalon with fangs promoting a TV show “Reginald the Vampire”

One of Google TV's highlighted shows for Filipino American History Month

And Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with amazing organizations to celebrate the rich culture and history of the Philippines, including the Filipinas Heritage Library, Filipino Street Art Project, and the Ballet Philippines.

Earlier, you talked about how you grew up in the Philippines. What role do you think Google has to play in supporting the local community?

Google has amazing resources that can help the people in the Philippines. We’ve done a lot to support inclusive distance learning, from a Google.org grant to help teachers, to the national deployment of G Suite for Education to 22 million learners in partnership with the Department of Education. We’re collaborating with local telecommunications companies to bring mobile access to learning tools and started a virtual training camp for Filipino YouTubers to accelerate development of quality learning content on the platform. Just last month, we announced we will be giving away Google Career Certificate scholarships to 39,000 Filipino youths.

Commitments like these are super valuable, and I’m grateful for the work to come.

Source: Google LatLong


Kwentuhan: Sharing our stories this Filipino American History Month

“Kwentuhan” roughly translates to “sharing stories” in English. For Filipino American History Month, or Kapamilya Month as our Filipino Googler Network refers to it, we sat down with Paolo Malabuyo, Director of User Experience in Google Maps and executive sponsor of the Filipino Googler Network, to learn about his story.

As a child growing up in the Philippines, we heard you were somewhat of a Lego competition legend. How did this kickstart your interest in working in UX and design?

I was the youngest of four and I always felt like I was in the shadow of my older, smarter, more athletic and more accomplished siblings. I don’t recall having many ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up, until my grandmother immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and started sending small handfuls of Lego pieces through the mail.

This started my fascination with Lego and culminated in my participation in Lego competitions across the Philippines. I still think that the greatest job in the world is designing Lego sets.

  • Paolo standing with two Lego boxes on either side of him. In front of him on the table is a fully constructed Lego set.

    Paolo with his winning build and prizes.

  • Paolo sitting at a table building a Lego set in a room full of others also focused on their Lego creations. To his right, a man stands over his shoulder watching him build the set

    A younger Paolo during a Lego competition with Larry Alcala, famous Filipino cartoonist, looking on as a judge.

  • Four people sit on a stage for a panel discussion

    Paolo (third from left) on a panel of designers at Adobo Design Week in Manila, Philippines

I immigrated to the States right before my 12th birthday and picked up drawing, reading, and crafting. This developed into a real affinity for art. I ended up getting a BFA in art and minors in communication design, art history and Chinese studies. I also took basic programming classes and learned web design by emulating early websites.

Like Lego pieces, my early days of creatively building, combined with my art education and CS study were what constructed my career today. I got my first role as a graphic designer which started my roundabout journey to become a UX designer, leader and educator.

Can you talk about your role at Google?

I lead the cross-disciplinary user experience teams for Geo Auto and Geo Sustainability. In Auto, we design and deliver the in-car, embedded Google Maps experiences for navigation, routing, and situational awareness so that drivers are safer and more confident, with a major focus on electric vehicles. In Sustainability, we provide platforms, insights, and solutions that help users and partners tackle climate change – the preeminent challenge for humanity today. It’s an incredibly interesting portfolio and it’s such a privilege to work with our teams and clients.

As an executive sponsor for the FIlipino Googler Network, I get to work closely with other teams across Google on projects that impact the Filipino community. One example is the work happening on Maps to help business owners identify themselves, including the introduction of the Asian-owned attribute earlier this year. This attribute will help many Filipino businesses be recognized by current and future customers.

What else is Google doing in support of Filipino culture?

It’s great to see how Google’s products and services are celebrating Filipino culture and elevating our voices. This month, we ran a beautiful Google Doodle in the Philippines which celebrated the Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sailing competition from the southern part of the country.

Six sailboats with the letters on the flags spelling GOOGLE.

Google TV is highlighting recent movies and TV shows that tell Filipino American stories and feature Filipino American lead actors in its “For you” tab.

The Google TV interface on the For you page displaying an image of Jacob Batalon with fangs promoting a TV show “Reginald the Vampire”

One of Google TV's highlighted shows for Filipino American History Month

And Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with amazing organizations to celebrate the rich culture and history of the Philippines, including the Filipinas Heritage Library, Filipino Street Art Project, and the Ballet Philippines.

Earlier, you talked about how you grew up in the Philippines. What role do you think Google has to play in supporting the local community?

Google has amazing resources that can help the people in the Philippines. We’ve done a lot to support inclusive distance learning, from a Google.org grant to help teachers, to the national deployment of G Suite for Education to 22 million learners in partnership with the Department of Education. We’re collaborating with local telecommunications companies to bring mobile access to learning tools and started a virtual training camp for Filipino YouTubers to accelerate development of quality learning content on the platform. Just last month, we announced we will be giving away Google Career Certificate scholarships to 39,000 Filipino youths.

Commitments like these are super valuable, and I’m grateful for the work to come.

Source: Google LatLong


5 Play Console updates to help you understand your app’s delivery performance

Posted by Lidia Gaymond, Product Manager, Google PlayPowered by Android App Bundles, Google Play gives all developers the benefits of modern Android distribution. As the Android ecosystem expands, it’s more important than ever to know how your app is being delivered to different devices.

Delivery insights help you better understand and analyze your app’s delivery performance and what contributes to it, and take action to optimize the experience for your users. Here are five recent Play Console updates you can use to get more insight into your delivery performance.


1. When you release your app, you’ll now see its expected app size and update size at the point of release creation, so you can determine if the size change from the previous release is acceptable.

Screenshot of Google Play Console showing expected app size and update size
Get the expected app size and update size when you create a new release.

2. If you use advanced Play delivery tools, such as Play Asset Delivery or Play Feature Delivery, detailed information about how these are shipped to users are now available on the Statistics page and in the Delivery tab in App bundle explorer. Understanding your feature modules and asset packs usage can help you make better decisions about further modularization and uncover usage patterns across your users.

Screenshot of the Devliery tab in the App bundle explorer page in Play Console
Get detailed information about how your feature modules are shipped to users in the Delivery tab in the App bundle explorer page in Play Console.

Screenshot of performance metrics on the Statistics page in Play Console
See per module performance metrics on the Statistics page in Play Console.


3. When analyzing your existing release, you can now see how many users are on it to help you assess the “freshness” of your install base and how quickly users migrate to new releases. To improve your update rate, consider using the In-app updates API.

Screenshot of the Release Summary showing percentage of install base on this release in Releases Overview in Play Console
Know how many users are on your existing release and how quickly users migrate to new releases.

4. For a deeper dive into your individual app version performance, you can find information about your download size per device model, most common update sizes, and install base in App bundle explorer.

Screenshot of App bundle explorer page in Play Console
Evaluate device-specific bundle download size and install base on the App bundle explorer page.

5. All of these features are also available in your App Dashboard, where you can track these measurements over time alongside other app metrics.

Screenshot of App bundle explorer page in Play Console
Monitor these new delivery metrics on your App Dashboard.

We hope these changes will help you make more informed decisions about your app development and provide you with a detailed view of how your app is being delivered to end user devices.


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The Art of Survival: A Yazidi Cultural Archive

The arts are integral tohow we make sense of the world. Traditional arts and cultural practices have long been used to elevate human experience and shift perspectives. However, in recent decades these benefits have increasingly been the subject of more formalstudy, highlighting the direct health benefits of participating in the arts such as increased physical activity, stress-reduction and connection. Such benefits are particularly vital for people who have experienced forced displacement.

Currentevidence points to how the arts and arts therapies promote physical, mental and social well being for people who are working through the aftermath of violence and conflict. Dance and dance/movement therapy can help people release grief and recover a sense of joy. Theater and drama therapy can aid people in re-discovering a sense of playfulness, rehearse new ways of being, deepen empathy and communicate across differences. Music and music therapy can decrease stress, facilitate emotional regulation, and promote a shared sense of belonging for both displaced persons and host communities. Participation in visual art and art therapy can promote relaxation and enable greater expression.

An example of this may be seen in the Yazidi Cultural Archives project. The project was developed over the course of 12 months through a partnership betweenYazda, a community-led organization that aids survivors of genocide in Iraq and around the world,Community Jameel,CULTURUNNERS, theOffice of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and the World Health Organization, with support from the Iraq Cultural Health Fund, as part of the Healing Arts initiative. An evaluation of the impact of the archives on the psychological wellbeing of participants is being supported by theArts and Health initiative at New York University.

Today, in colaboration with Google Arts & Culture, we present four unique digital stories commemorating the strength and vitality of the Yazidi people following the 2014 genocide in Iraq carried out by Da’esh. We honor these women who have shown extraordinary courage in the face of dehumanising acts which are, for most of us, unimaginable. The content was produced through a series of art and photography workshops, led by Yazda, to help women use art to express their experience, recover a sense of connection with themselves and each other, reimagine identity, and document examples of their intangible cultural heritage. What is particularly notable about this project is that rather than delegating the process of cultural preservation to “experts,” this group of women were given the tools to identify what was meaningful to them and encouraged to find ways of expressing that meaning in the manner that suited them best.

  • Painting by Ivana Waleed, Yazidi Activist and Survivor, titled Unknown, faceless woman.

    Unknown, faceless woman. Painting by Ivana Waleed, Yazidi Activist and Survivor.

  • Painting by Suhalia Dakhil Talo, Yazidi Survivor, of person with their arm and mouth strangles by unknown arms. It is a metaphor representing every powerless and voiceless survivor.

    The work by Suhalia Dakhil Talo, Yazidi Survivor, is a metaphor, representing every powerless and voiceless survivor.

  • Painting by Malaeen LUQMAN called ‘Behind Every Darkness is Light’. Black background with orange circle in the middle, inside it a girl wearing a white dress carrying a lamp. It expresses the sadness experienced by the girl who was kidnapped by ISIS, and that she did not expect one day that she would return to her family.

    Behind Every Darkness is Light, painting by Malaeen LUQMAN, expresses the sadness experienced by the girl who was kidnapped by ISIS, and that she did not expect one day that she would return to her family.

  • Photo of different paintings in a courtyard as part of an artist-led workshop.

    Paintings by Yazidi Survivors. Healing Arts Project aimed to improve the wellbeing of participants through artist-led workshops which built upon the known psychological benefits of group support, artistic engagement, and cultural validation.

  • Photo of people taking part in a photography workshop in the IDP camp in Khanki.

    Photography Workshop in the IDPs Camp in Khanki.

The Nobody’s Listening: Justice for the Yazidi People exhibition provides background to the historical and cultural situation of Yazidis, a unique ethno-religious group whose origins stretch back more than 6,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. Between the description of the past and current events, people can discover artworks from Yazidi survivors and get to know their feelings and thoughts.

Stories of Thread & Ink: Preserving Yazidi Cultural Heritage shows us Yazidi women of different generations who have come together to reclaim and revive at-risk cultural practices to preserve their heritage. Sustaining traditional cultural practices like Dazik — Yazidi traditional handmade bracelets and unique markings known as 'Deq' Tattoos — is important to survivors, and those who remain displaced and living in camps, as a pillar of their cultural identity and link to their lives before the genocide.

  • Photographic portrait of Malaeen LUQMAN, a Yazidi survivor.

    A picture of the survivor Malaeen LUQMAN.

  • Image of a drawing by Malaeen LUQMAN.

    Strong - drawing by Malaeen LUQMAN, expresses the power of pain experienced by women in society. It was drawn to encourage women to be strong, no matter what happens to them.

  • Photographic portrait of Elham, a Yazidi survivor.

    Portrait of Elham, a Yazidi survivor.

  • Photograph taken by Elham of jars storing oil.

    Oil stored in those jars is being used in religious ceremonies and rituals that are held in Lalish Temple throughout the whole year. Photograph taken by Elham.

"I survived captivity and am passionate about my new life. After I was liberated from Da'esh, I joined this art workshop to advocate for myself and other survivors. I felt pride in what we created because it helped me remember who I am and who my people are." - Malaeen LUQMAN, Yazidi survivor.

The Healing Lens: A Photographic Journey by Yazidi Survivors exhibition was created by eight women who were under Da'esh occupation, all currently living in refugee camps in Iraq. It is their response to the ongoing situation between Da’esh and the Yazidis. The story presents photographs they took to commemorate cultural motifs, such as a healing fountain, tombs, or the olive oil jars used in religious ceremonies and rituals that are held in Lalish temple. Through The Art of Survival: A Yazidi Cultural Archive exhibition people can explore inspiring paintings of resistance and healing by Yazidi women who have hope, belief in their dreams and are proud now to share their culture with a new generation.

This project is a reflection of how the arts and culture are a valuable and available resource that can create healthier, stronger and more equitable communities. We encourage you to explore this affirmation of healing and remembrance on the United Nations page on Google Arts & Culture. In addition to preserving cultural practices, the celebration of our unique expression of identity allows us to regain control of our individual narratives and imagine for ourselves a joyful and thriving future.

A brief history of our search interest in pumpkin spice lattes

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are practically synonymous with autumn. It just isn’t fall until you sip a PSL while fiery orange leaves crunch under your boots. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is an undeniable staple of the season — look no further than Google Trends for proof. Here are 10 moments of PSL search trend history.

  1. “Pumpkin Spice Latte” began gaining popularity as a search term in the fall of 2010.
A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" start to peak in October 2010.

2. It started out as a solidly autumnal treat — up until 2017, search interest in “Pumpkin Spice Latte” first peaked in September, and then again in October and November.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" first peak in September 2015, then two spikes following in October and November.

3. These days, it’s becoming more of a late-summer, early-fall beverage: Since 2018, search interest in “Pumpkin Spice Latte” has peaked in August.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" peaking in late August 2018.

4. On that note: Searches for “Pumpkin Spice Latte” were highest in 2022 during the week of August 28 - September 3.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" peaking Aug. 28-Sep 3, 2022.

5. Search interest in “pumpkin spice latte” hit new heights in August of this year.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" reaching a peak in August 2022 versus in years past.

6. …Which isn’t terribly surprising, given that it’s been on a steady increase every year — until 2018! Search interest dropped significantly in 2018, and only began rising again in 2021.

7. Speaking of PSLs, search interest in the pumpkin spice acronym grew annually alongside the full drink name. (Quick note that not all “PSL” searches are about the drink — PSL is also an acronym for other things, like Port St. Lucie, a city in Florida. But PSL spikes do seem to coincide with “pumpkin spice latte” spikes each fall, so clearly some of the interest overlaps.)

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" searches versus "PSL" searches from 2004 to today, which "pumpkin spice latte" peaking above "PSL" but with "PSL" also rising and in recent years overtaking.

8. Looking at related search terms, searches for “pumpkin spice” have actually always been higher than search interest for “pumpkin spice latte.” But they’ve also experienced a rise in popularity parallel to search interest in the coffee drink.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" versus "pumpkin spice" from 2004 to day, with the latter easily besting "pumpkin spice latte."

This begs the question: Is it the chicken or the egg? Or rather, the pumpkin spice or the latte? Has a penchant for pumpkin spice driven interest in the drink, or is it the other way around?

9. Search interest in “pumpkin spice” (hold the latte) is also happening earlier each year. Initially the spike happened in November and then October…but that peak moved to September and has stayed there since 2014.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice" searches peaking earlier and earlier every year since 2004.

10. And finally: Not all pumpkin spice products are edible. Earlier this month in the U.S., the most-searched “pumpkin spice scented” items (in order of popularity) were cat litter, soap, pouches, candles and hand lotion.

A brief history of our search interest in pumpkin spice lattes

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are practically synonymous with autumn. It just isn’t fall until you sip a PSL while fiery orange leaves crunch under your boots. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is an undeniable staple of the season — look no further than Google Trends for proof. Here are 10 moments of PSL search trend history.

  1. “Pumpkin Spice Latte” began gaining popularity as a search term in the fall of 2010.
A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" start to peak in October 2010.

2. It started out as a solidly autumnal treat — up until 2017, search interest in “Pumpkin Spice Latte” first peaked in September, and then again in October and November.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" first peak in September 2015, then two spikes following in October and November.

3. These days, it’s becoming more of a late-summer, early-fall beverage: Since 2018, search interest in “Pumpkin Spice Latte” has peaked in August.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" peaking in late August 2018.

4. On that note: Searches for “Pumpkin Spice Latte” were highest in 2022 during the week of August 28 - September 3.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" peaking Aug. 28-Sep 3, 2022.

5. Search interest in “pumpkin spice latte” hit new heights in August of this year.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" reaching a peak in August 2022 versus in years past.

6. …Which isn’t terribly surprising, given that it’s been on a steady increase every year — until 2018! Search interest dropped significantly in 2018, and only began rising again in 2021.

7. Speaking of PSLs, search interest in the pumpkin spice acronym grew annually alongside the full drink name. (Quick note that not all “PSL” searches are about the drink — PSL is also an acronym for other things, like Port St. Lucie, a city in Florida. But PSL spikes do seem to coincide with “pumpkin spice latte” spikes each fall, so clearly some of the interest overlaps.)

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" searches versus "PSL" searches from 2004 to today, which "pumpkin spice latte" peaking above "PSL" but with "PSL" also rising and in recent years overtaking.

8. Looking at related search terms, searches for “pumpkin spice” have actually always been higher than search interest for “pumpkin spice latte.” But they’ve also experienced a rise in popularity parallel to search interest in the coffee drink.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice latte" versus "pumpkin spice" from 2004 to day, with the latter easily besting "pumpkin spice latte."

This begs the question: Is it the chicken or the egg? Or rather, the pumpkin spice or the latte? Has a penchant for pumpkin spice driven interest in the drink, or is it the other way around?

9. Search interest in “pumpkin spice” (hold the latte) is also happening earlier each year. Initially the spike happened in November and then October…but that peak moved to September and has stayed there since 2014.

A Google trends graph showing "pumpkin spice" searches peaking earlier and earlier every year since 2004.

10. And finally: Not all pumpkin spice products are edible. Earlier this month in the U.S., the most-searched “pumpkin spice scented” items (in order of popularity) were cat litter, soap, pouches, candles and hand lotion.

TAG Bulletin: Q3 2022

This bulletin includes coordinated influence operation campaigns terminated on our platforms in Q3 2022. It was last updated on October 26, 2022.

July

  • We terminated 7 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to a Russian consulting firm and was sharing content in Russian that was supportive of Russia and critical of Ukraine and the U.S.
  • We terminated 7 YouTube channels and 3 AdSense accounts as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. The campaign was sharing content in English and Chinese that was supportive of the Chinese semiconductor and tech industries and critical of the U.S. semiconductor industry and U.S. sanctions on Chinese tech companies.
  • We terminated 2,150 YouTube channels as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.

August

  • We terminated 10 YouTube channels and blocked 120 domains from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. The campaign was linked to a Chinese PR firm named Shanghai Haixun Technology Co., Ltd. and was sharing content in English, Chinese, Russian, Ukrainian, Thai, Hindi, French, Arabic, Italian, Vietnamese and Korean that was critical of international news coverage of Xinjiang, the United States and its relationship with Taiwan, and high profile critics of the Chinese government. We received leads from Mandiant that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 12 YouTube channels, 4 Ads accounts, and 2 Blogger blogs and blocked 3 domains from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to the United States. The campaign was sharing content in English, Arabic, Persian, and Russian that was promoting U.S. foreign affairs. We received leads from Twitter that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 15 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Sudan. The campaign was sharing content in Arabic that was supportive of the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces and their leader Hemetti. We received leads from Twitter that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 3 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to the media outlet News Front and was sharing content in English and German that was supportive of Russia and critical of the United States. We received leads from Twitter that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 1 AdSense account and blocked 1 domain from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Turkey. The campaign was sharing content in Turkish that was supportive of Turkey’s AK Party. We received leads from Twitter that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 12 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to a Russian consulting firm and was sharing content in Russian that was supportive of Russia and the Russian military and critical of NATO, Ukraine, and the West. We received leads from Twitter that supported us in this investigation.
  • We terminated 15 YouTube channels, 2 AdSense accounts, and 1 Blogger blog as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Vietnam. The campaign was sharing content in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and German that was supportive of Russia and critical of Ukraine and China. We believe this operation was financially motivated.
  • We terminated 1 YouTube channel and 1 Ads account and blocked 1 domain from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was sharing content in Russian that was critical of the United States, the EU, Ukraine, and NATO.
  • We terminated 1104 YouTube channels as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.

September

  • We terminated 1 AdSense account and blocked 4 domains from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to North Macedonia. The campaign was sharing sensational content in English that was about a variety of topics including U.S. and European current events. We believe this operation was financially motivated.
  • We terminated 5 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Myanmar. The campaign was sharing content in Burmese that was critical of the People’s Defense Force of Myanmar.
  • We terminated 3 YouTube channels as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia. The campaign was linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA) and was sharing content in French that was supportive of Russian policy objectives in Libya. We received leads from the FBI that supported us in this investigation.
  • We blocked 1 domain from eligibility to appear on Google News surfaces and Discover as part of our investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Iran. The campaign was sharing content in Arabic that was critical of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
  • We terminated 6957 YouTube channels and 144 Blogger blogs as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to China. These channels and blogs mostly uploaded spammy content in Chinese about music, entertainment, and lifestyle. A very small subset uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs. These findings are consistent with our previous reports.

The future of fighting misinformation in Asia-Pacific

The global Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2022 shows that trust in news has declined in almost half the countries surveyed, and more people are actively avoiding the news. Meanwhile, a majority of those surveyed said they worry about identifying the difference between real news and misinformation on the internet.

The Asia Pacific region is no stranger to these trends, and ahead of elections in Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, India and Indonesia, the fifth annual APAC Trusted Media Summit, organized by the Google News Initiative (GNI), brought together journalists, fact-checkers, educators, researchers, activists, and policymakers to share best practices for fact-checking and media literacy.

Here are our key takeaways from the event.

Pre-bunk rather than debunk.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that short "prebunking" videos, rolled out as ads on social media, are effective at improving people's ability to spot fake information.

Debunks, on the other hand, typically don’t reach as many people as misinformation, and they don’t spread nearly as quickly— which is why pre-bunking is crucial. Research shows the power of the continued influence effect: once someone is exposed to misinformation, it’s significantly more difficult to return their beliefs to a baseline similar to that of someone who was never exposed to it in the first place.

Remember that people react emotion-first.

Dr. Michelle Wong, Content Creator at Lab Muffin Beauty Science, has been debunking misinformation around online beauty products for 11 years. She says that with people’s short attention spans, garnering the same level of interest in true stories as misinformation means that social media content has to have two things: a compelling hook, and an easy-to-understand explanation.

Dr. Wong reminded us that misinformation spreads faster online because most of the content taps into powerful emotions like fear— which affect viewers more than complex science does. Using the same tactic for debunking can help reach (and inform!) a much broader audience.

Coalition building and empowering individuals.

Addressing misinformation requires more resources and skills beyond those of any single organization, industry, sector, or government.

As shared by Maria Ressa, Filipino-American journalist, author, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, #FactsFirstPH created a movement ahead of the recent Philippines elections. A coalition of 16 news organizations and 116 civil society groups and businesses came together and built a collective network that pushed the real facts through the algorithm in an enormous ripple effect.

Most importantly, collaboration needs to come from all sectors— from tech companies like Google, to media, governments, fact-checkers and research. Working together, we can build a sustainable, large-scale approach to fighting misinformation.

The way forward for Asia-Pacific.

This year, in its 5th edition, the Trusted Media Summit gathered 1,960 registrants across the globe from 24 countries, representing over 350 organizations in seven languages Attendees and speakers shared ideas and it was truly impressive how this community continues their work year after year to fight misinformation.

Attendees at this year’s event learned how the community can collaborate, work on pre-bunking and adopt influencers’ successful social media strategies. I’m proud of our work that helps bring people together, and I believe that Asia-Pacific can lead the way in building a better, more informed future for all.

If you missed the APAC Trusted Media Summit 2022, we’ve put together on-demand videos from the event here.