Google makes search trends data set available to help COVID-19 research

Google announced that it has made a data set of search trends available for researchers to study the link between symptom related searches and the spread of the Coronavirus. The released data set includes aggregated, anonymised search trends for more than 400 symptoms, signs, and health conditions. It includes trends in the USA from the past three years in order to support public health officials to gain insight. Google noted that the COVID-19 symptom data set is powered by the anonymisation technology that the company uses in the Community Mobility Reports and other products to protect privacy of users.