Beta Channel Update for Desktop

The Beta channel has been updated to 105.0.5195.28 for Windows,Mac and Linux.

A full list of changes in this build is available in the log. Interested in switching release channels? Find out how here. If you find a new issues, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.


Prudhvikumar Bommana Google Chrome

Country targeting in Shopping Ads campaigns is changing in August 2022

We’re starting a phased rollout of a change to country targeting in Google Ads and Merchant Center. The rollout has already begun and will continue into September.

See Feed label replaces target country in Content API for Shopping for how this change impacts the Content API for Shopping.

When the change reaches you, you’ll be able to set the feed_label field in ShoppingSetting for Shopping & Performance Max campaigns in the UI and API. Due to this change, you may begin seeing campaigns with feed_labels set in the UI and API for certain merchants. Campaigns with feed_label not set to a 2-letter CLDR territory code can serve ads in any country as long as the campaign has the appropriate geoTargeting and the appropriate target countries are set in Merchant Center.

This change doesn’t impact the countries targeted by existing shopping feeds. You don’t need to update existing shopping feeds or campaigns.

What’s changing in Merchant Center
Today, Google Merchant Center feeds require you to select a primary country of sale target (sales_country in Google Ads API), with the option to provide additional target countries once the feed has been created. Starting in August 23, 2022, we will make the following changes to how target countries are organized in the Merchant Center UI:
  • The primary country of sale option will be removed in Google Merchant Center. Country of sale will be replaced by the more generic feed_label that can accept any string, including any existing 2 letter CDLR country code.
  • The current additional countries field will be renamed target countries, and will include all countries you want the feed to target.
What’s changing in Google Ads UI and API
The current sales_country field for all available Shopping campaign types, including Performance Max, will eventually be replaced by feed_label. Note that we will keep the sales_country field for backwards compatibility until at least Q2 2023. Right now, you can continue to use sales_country in your campaigns.

You can create a feed_label in Google Merchant Center or the Content API. Feed labels let you group different offers according to a common trait, like language (or a country, as you’ve currently been doing). You can also use feed_labels in Google Ads campaigns to target the relevant offers (all products with the same Merchant Center feed label).

The ads for the offers that match the feed_label will show based on the following:
  1. The countries you selected as target countries in Merchant Center.
  2. Your campaign’s geo targeting. Note: The default campaign targeting behavior (if you do not geo target) is that your products will serve in all your Merchant Center target countries.
How you’re impacted
The phased rollout to enable this feature in Google Ads UI and API has already started, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2022. For existing feeds, feed_label will automatically be set to the two-letter territory code of the existing sales_country field to avoid interrupting existing targeting.

However, if you want to support new users or new feeds that only have a feed_label and not a sales_country field, we recommend you update your code by August 23, 2022 to accommodate customers who will use campaigns that only have a feed_label (without a sales_country).

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us via the forum.

Feed label replaces target country in Content API for Shopping

On August 23, 2022 we will gradually start updating the way country targeting works for shopping products. As a result, the targetCountry field for newly inserted products and the country field for new datafeeds may be empty in the Content API for Shopping. While targetCountry and country are now deprecated, there are no plans to remove these fields from v2.1 to preserve backward compatibility. We recommend using feedLabel to name new products and feeds, and using the shipping field to specify the countries to target.

If you're accessing accounts whose product data you don’t have total control over and you are unsure whether the products or datafeeds will have ONLY a feedLabel field beginning in late August, we recommend you update your code to support the feedLabel field.

This upcoming change might impact or break your API integration if your application cannot handle products without a targetCountry or datafeeds without a country.

See Country targeting in Shopping Ads campaigns is changing in August 2022 for how this change will impact Google Ads.

What’s already changed
On August 8, 2022, the Content API for Shopping added the feedLabel field to the products resource. As of August 8, 2022, feedLabel can only accept and return two-letter CLDR territory codes. Products now require either targetCountry or feedLabel. As long as the feedLabel set is a valid two-letter CLDR code, targetCountry will be backfilled for compatibility.

We have changed the definition of the product identifier (the id, i.e. the REST ID). feedLabel now replaces targetCountry as the third component of the identifier, so it is no longer just a valid two-letter CLDR code. You can find an example shown here.

This change to product identifier is backwards compatible, so existing REST IDs for existing products will continue to work without change.

Important: feedLabel doesn’t impact targeting. This means if you use feedLabel instead of targetCountry, you need to specify all countries you want to target in the shipping attribute.

What’s coming next
We’re starting a gradual rollout to all users on August 23, 2022. When the upcoming change reaches you, you’ll be able to create a product or datafeed with any string (not just a two-letter CLDR code) as the feedLabel via the API or the Merchant Center. You’ll still be able to use a two-letter country code in targetCountry for backwards compatibility.

After the upcoming change, if you submit a feedLabel that isn’t a CLDR territory code, the API will return those products without a targetCountry or those datafeeds without a country. Instead, only their feedLabel will be populated. This may break your codebase if your implementation expects a value in targetCountry for products or a value in country for datafeeds.

How you’re impacted
Products
If you continue inserting your products with a targetCountry, you are not required to make any changes at this time, as the feedLabel value in the products REST ID will be identical to the targetCountry you inserted.

However, if you use a feedLabel in Merchant Center or the API that is not a CLDR territory code, we highly recommend you update your codebase to use feedLabels on all product insertions instead of targetCountry to avoid issues with your API integration.

All products inserted with a feedLabel instead of targetCountry, even if the feedLabel is a CLDR territory code, will not automatically target that country. You must explicitly set the countries you want to target via the shipping field.

Datafeeds
Note that starting August 23, 2022, feed label will replace the current country of sale value in the Merchant Center UI. The Content API will be expected to support this change via the datafeeds service starting mid-September. These new datafeeds will only have the feedLabel field set, not the country field, unless you explicitly set the feedLabel to a CLDR territory code.

To support new users, we highly recommend you update your codebase to use feedLabels on all datafeeds instead of country to avoid issues with your API integration.

Recommendation for third party integrations
If you’re a third party or agency that manages your customers' accounts for them, we highly recommend you check your codebase is able handle products without a targetCountry and datafeeds without a country before August 23, 2022.

After the gradual rollout starting in late August, your merchants will be able to modify products directly in Merchant Center to create a product with a feedLabel that is not a valid two-letter CLDR territory code. When this product is returned via products.list, you could encounter issues if your implementation expects a value in targetCountry.

As well, after the gradual rollout in late August, new users will create datafeeds that by default have a feedLabel and no country field. When this datafeed is returned via datafeeds.list, you could encounter issues if your implementation expects a value in country.

How to detect if you have offers without a country in your Merchant Center account
  1. Make a request to products.list.
  2. Filter your products to search for products where the targetCountry field does not exist on the product.
  3. If any products appear, you have offers without a country in your Merchant Center.
Detailed Changes
To view a detailed breakdown of the changes to the Content API by this feature launch, see the guide here.

Datafeeds Service
Starting mid-September the datafeeds service will begin to return feedLabel on all datafeeds, which will be the country value if that is how the datafeed was created. The datafeeds service will also return the country field if the feedLabel is a valid country code for backwards compatibility.

Opt out of receiving products and datafeeds without a country
If you’re concerned your codebase cannot handle products and datafeeds without a country, and you want to opt out of receiving them via the Content API after August 23, then please fill out the following form: Feed label replaces target country in the Content API for Shopping - temporary exemption. Once you have fully supported feedLabel, you will be able to opt back in to receiving these offers.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us via the forum.

Improved notifications when editing Microsoft Office files in Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Quick summary

Many of our customers utilize Office editing mode to collaborate on Microsoft Office files in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. 

Today, we’re announcing improvements to the notifications you see when editing a Microsoft Office-formatted file. 

Specific updates include: 

  • An Office-formatted warning symbol for compatibility details that will appear throughout your entire time within a document, spreadsheet, or slide deck. This indicates potential compatibility issues or if any Office features are unavailable.

Example of a document with compatibility issues


Example of a document without known compatibility issues 



  • An option to easily view and restore earlier versions of the document, spreadsheet, or slide deck. New options to view version history and restore a document 
New options to view version history and restore a document







Getting started 

  • Admins: Office editing notifications are ON by default and will always be present when a user opens a Microsoft Office-formatted document. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Office editing
  • End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about working with Office files using Office editing

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 
  • Available to users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 


Roadmap 

Better location context for events and RSVPs in Calendar

Quick summary

We’re making it even easier to use RSVPs in Google Calendar and let others know how you’re planning to join a meeting. 

You can now select a RSVP join method that’s powered by your working location, whether that’s joining in a particular meeting room or virtually. With the new RSVP option, Calendar will automatically update how you intend to join the meeting if your working location changes. In addition, your colleagues will now see your working location or out of office status directly in the guest list section of a Calendar event. 

We hope this feature improves the way you and your colleagues utilize your planned working location for meetings and events, especially in a hybrid work environment


Getting started 


Rollout pace 

  • Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on August 10, 2022 
  • Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 17, 2022 

Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, Teaching & Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Frontline, legacy G Suite Basic customers, and users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

Making Linux Kernel Exploit Cooking Harder


Posted by Eduardo Vela, Exploit Critic

Cover of the medieval cookbook. Title in large letters kernel Exploits. Adorned. Featuring a small penguin. 15th century. Color. High quality picture. Private collection. Detailed.




The Linux kernel is a key component for the security of the Internet. Google uses Linux in almost everything, from the computers our employees use, to the products people around the world use daily like Chromebooks, Android on phones, cars, and TVs, and workloads on Google Cloud. Because of this, we have heavily invested in Linux’s security - and today, we’re announcing how we’re building on those investments and increasing our rewards.


In 2020, we launched an open-source Kubernetes-based Capture-the-Flag (CTF) project called, kCTF. The kCTF Vulnerability Rewards Program (VRP) lets researchers connect to our Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) instances, and if they can hack it, they get a flag, and are potentially rewarded. All of GKE and its dependencies are in scope, but every flag caught so far has been a container breakout through a Linux kernel vulnerability. We’ve learned that finding and exploiting heap memory corruption vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel could be made a lot harder. Unfortunately, security mitigations are often hard to quantify, however, we think we’ve found a way to do so concretely going forward.


When we launched kCTF, we hoped to build a community of Linux kernel exploitation hackers. This worked well and allowed the community to learn from several members of the security community like Markak, starlabs, Crusaders of Rust, d3v17, slipper@pangu, valis, kylebot, pqlqpql and Awarau.


Now, we’re making updates to the kCTF program. First, we are indefinitely extending the increased reward amounts we announced earlier this year, meaning we’ll continue to pay $20,000 - $91,337 USD for vulnerabilities on our lab kCTF deployment to reward the important work being done to understand and improve kernel security. This is in addition to our existing patch rewards for proactive security improvements.


Second, we’re launching new instances with additional rewards to evaluate the latest Linux kernel stable image as well as new experimental mitigations in a custom kernel we've built. Rather than simply learning about the current state of the stable kernels, the new instances will be used to ask the community to help us evaluate the value of both our latest and more experimental security mitigations. 


Today, we are starting with a set of mitigations we believe will make most of the vulnerabilities (9/10 vulns and 10/13 exploits) we received this past year more difficult to exploit. For new exploits of vulnerabilities submitted which also compromise the latest Linux kernel, we will pay an additional $21,000 USD. For those which compromise our custom Linux kernel with our experimental mitigations, the reward will be another $21,000 USD (if they are clearly bypassing the mitigations we are testing). This brings the total rewards up to a maximum of $133,337 USD. We hope this will allow us to learn more about how hard (or easy) it is to bypass our experimental mitigations.


The mitigations we've built attempt to tackle the following exploit primitives:

  • Out-of-bounds write on slab

  • Cross-cache attacks

  • Elastic objects

  • Freelist corruption


With the kCTF VRP program, we are building a pipeline to analyze, experiment, measure and build security mitigations to make the Linux kernel as safe as we can with the help of the security community. We hope that, over time, we will be able to make security mitigations that make exploitation of Linux kernel vulnerabilities as hard as possible.

The Google Meet and Google Duo app icons are changing, additional information for Google Workspace users

What’s changing 

In June 2022, we announced that we are upgrading the Duo experience to include all Google Meet features, creating a single solution service for both video calling and meeting. 


Meeting features have been rolling out to the Duo app over the last several weeks, and now users will begin to see their app name and icon update to Google Meet. Visit the Help Center for more information on this change, and the Keyword for the latest on the upgraded experience. 



Additional details 

We’d like to share more information about about what this change means for Google Workspace users: 


Personal Google accounts are already accessible in Google Meet today, allowing users to switch between personal and work accounts as needed. As before, a user's ability to access domain-specific meetings with the personal Google accounts is determined by the privacy setting configured by their admin


Users will only see Duo features— like calling or messages—on their Google account through work if Duo is enabled via the Additional Google services control


Getting started 

  • Admins: As the admin, you can: 
    • Manage Duo video calling access features by turning off the Additional Google services control. If you turn OFF the Additional Google Services control for your users, you’ll also disrupt any apps without individual ON/OFF switches. Note: This applies to Duo video calling features only, this will not impact Meet functionality. 
    • If your organization uses a mobile device management system, and Duo is currently blocked, we strongly recommend allowlisting Duo so users can install the new Meet app. 
    • Control Google Meet access using the Admin console. To prevent your users from losing access, we recommend keeping Google Meet ON for your organization.  
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about how Duo is being upgraded


  • Education Admins: 
    • Users under 18: Duo is currently restricted for users under 18. Admins do not need to change any settings to ensure that under 18 users will continue to not have access to Duo calling features when the Duo app is updated. 
    • Users over 18: If you have the Additional Google services control enabled, users over 18 will have access to Duo calling features when the app name and icon changes to Meet. 
      • If you do not want over 18 users to have access to Duo calling features, turn the Additional Google services control off which will prevent users from using all Additional Services that do not have an individual ON/OFF control.

Rollout pace 


Availability

  • All Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 
  • All users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

Duo, meet Meet: One upgraded app for video calling and meetings

As we announced in June, we’re upgrading the Google Duo experience to include all Google Meet features and bringing our two video calling services together into a single solution. This upgrade, which started rolling out last month, gives everyone access to new features like scheduling and joining meetings, virtual backgrounds, in-meeting chat and more, in addition to your current video calling features.

Smartphone screen showing home screen of Meet app, leading to a video chat

Additional meeting features let you start an instant video call with your entire study group or connect with your colleagues at a recurring scheduled time. Before you join a meeting, you’ll be able to change your background or apply visual effects. During the meeting, you’ll also be able to use in-meeting chat and captions for more ways to participate.

Animation showing different background options on Google Meet

We’re also launching live sharing for Google Meet. Live sharing allows all meeting participants to interact with the content that’s being shared. So whether you’re co-watching videos on YouTube, curating a playlist on Spotify, taking turns while playing games like Heads Up!, UNO! Mobile or Kahoot! during an ice breaker, everyone will be able to join in on the action.

Animation of Google Meet live sharing with Spotify on a smartphone screen

What to expect

Over the past few weeks, we’ve started rolling out these new features to your Duo app, and now, users are beginning to see their app name and icon update to Google Meet. This upgrade will take place throughout the month across mobile and tablet devices, and will come later for other devices. To ensure a smooth transition, keep your app updated to the latest version.

Animation of Google Duo icon changing to a Google Meet icon

If you’re using the existing Google Meet app, there will be no change to your experience. Your existing Meet app and icon will change to Google Meet (original). You can continue using this app to join and schedule meetings, but we recommend using the updated Google Meet app to get combined video meeting and calling features all in one place. We will continue to invest in bringing more features to Google Meet to help people to connect, collaborate and share experiences on any device, at home, at school and at work.
We're committed to making the transition as smooth as possible. For more information, please see our Help Center.

Chrome Beta for Android Update

Hi everyone! We've just released Chrome Beta 105 (105.0.5195.26) for Android. It's now available on Google Play.

You can see a partial list of the changes in the Git log. For details on new features, check out the Chromium blog, and for details on web platform updates, check here.

If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.

Krishna Govind
Google Chrome

Announcing the Redefining Womanhood online exhibition on Google Arts & Culture

Editor's note:

Towela 'Kams' Tembo, a photographer and African Leadership Academy alumnus, contributed today's post. She writes about the Redefining Womanhood exhibition on Google Arts and Culture, which pays tribute to the 20,000 South African women whose efforts set the groundwork for today's young women's empowerment.



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In South Africa, the month of August is dedicated to remembering the 20,000 women who marched in 1956 in opposition to the pass restrictions enacted by the Apartheid regime, which restricted the freedom of movement for black women. The march to Pretoria's Union Buildings was a movement unto itself. To this day, it remains a magnificent depiction of women who not only stood up to injustice, but also set a clear mission for the overall equal rights of all women in society's many political, economic, and social threads.


Women like Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, who led this march with determination that roots us, are the cornerstone upon which the empowerment of today's young women rests.


Though the Redefining Womanhood exhibition focuses on young African women, it is anchored on generations of African women who gave birth to this vision and, in fact, gave birth to us.


Since the launch of the live virtual exhibition in March, we have invited the audience to pause to reflect on the efforts of our 30 young African women artists who share this goal, but also to highlight the work that remains ahead of us.


Their artistic agency to embody, embrace, and emulate various aspects of womanhood is shown through unique, curated stories and over 200 artworks. As we celebrate the work of women - both young and old - on this special day, we would like to host you in our powerful online exploration of activist photographs, videos of moving interpretive dance pieces, and skilled musical performances created by the young women at the African Leadership Academy.




Yassmine Boulam, Lost, 2021




Painting
Yassmine Boualam takes us on a journey of self-discovery through her art, and the therapeutic aspect of painting which guided her journey of finding peace within herself. For fellow artist, Daniella Nanziri painting is used to communicate the body-image issues young women face today while simultaneously celebrating beauty once loathed. In both cases, the artists’ creativity as well as intentionality in women empowerment is evident in their self-reflection as the driving force behind the canvas.


Tracey Keza, Hijabs and Hoodies — 1, 2019


Photography
As a photographer myself, photography has always been an incredible tool in probing our place in the world and how we relate to each other. I was inspired by the stories and themes other ALA graduates courageously pinned in their submissions. For example, Rwandan-based photographer Tracey Keza, in her series Hijabs and Hoodies, uses portraiture to zoom into identity politics, culture and conservation, beautifully profiled in the story We Will Not Be Silenced . For me, sharing a photo series titled Colorism: Shades of Africa that brought to the surface the prevailing social pandemic of colourism and its effect on different girls (and boys) in Africa and beyond signified stories that I believe are of vital importance to our youth and society.




Makenna Muigai, Still from the film Experience, 2021


Sound
Makenna Muigai’s Experience film is a profound example of the cathartic effects of violin sounds - the highs and lows therein - that act as a metaphor for the peaks and valleys of womanhood itself. Taking their own spin on the power of music, Erika Kimani & Tanaka Chikati both use the ‘Mbira’, a Zimbabwean instrument traditionally played by men, as a gateway into the past which triggers an intense recollection of memories and explores the theory of reincarnation. By doing this, all three women create an agenda for their art - one that pays homage to their personal encounters with womanhood.


Get inspired by many more young creative women on our African Leadership Academy page now available on Google Arts & Culture and on the iOS and Android App.






Posted by Towela ‘Kams’ Tembo, African Leadership Academy graduate




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