Google has released location data during the coronavirus pandemic to help public health officials track how people are responding to lockdowns.
The information is gathered from Google Maps or the search giant’s other services.
The US tech giant said that it is publishing aggregated, anonymised data for 131 countries and regions to highlight movement trends over time.
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No personal details, such as an individual’s location, contacts or movement, is disclosed s part of the release.
Google plans to update the reports regularly, with a lag of two to three days.
The data will help officials see how many people are visiting parks and other places (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
The reports chart whether more or less people are going to shops, parks, pharmacies, subway stations and offices.
The company said it has heard from health officials who say the readings could be helpful for making critical decisions on how to fight the virus.
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For example, “persistent visits to transportation hubs might indicate the need to add additional buses or trains in order to allow people who need to travel room to spread out for social distancing,” Google said.
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