Explained: Why the Google Mobility Reports matter to policymakers

Google helps policymakers decide on how effective their lockdown might be and what changes they may need to make to help mitigate the spread of the disease

The world’s most popular search engine is making use of all the data it collects from users to help policymakers deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. The disease has over 10 million confirmed cases globally and around 700,000 cases in India alone.  

Google collects anonymised location data from users. This is what helps it provide information to Google Maps users on traffic conditions or on the times at which a store or restaurant may be less crowded than others. The same data has been used to look at movement trends across different countries. It helps policy makers decide on how effective