Are you really Googling 'What is Google?' on Google? But in all seriousness: Google is a multinational technology company best known for its search engine, which was launched in 1998. Founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google has evolved into a major player in various fields, including online advertising, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Its mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
In addition to its search engine, Google provides a wide range of services, including Gmail (email), Google Drive (cloud storage), Google Maps (navigation), Google Photos (image storage), YouTube (video sharing), and Google Ads (advertising platform).
Google primarily earns revenue through advertising. The majority comes from Google Ads, where businesses pay to have their ads displayed on Google’s search results and across its network.
Google’s search algorithms determine the ranking of websites in search results, affecting how easily users can find information online. These algorithms are constantly updated to improve search accuracy and relevance.
Yes, Google has faced scrutiny regarding user data privacy and security practices. The company continually works to improve transparency and user control over data while complying with global privacy regulations.