Google releases special edition Doodle as part of birthday celebrations

Google has released a special edition Google Doodle as the tech firm rounds off its 20th birthday celebrations.

The internet firm has been marking the anniversary throughout September and earlier this week announced updates to its search engine aimed at looking ahead to the “next 20 years”.

Last week, media regulator Ofcom outlined potential regulations for technology firms similar to those for broadcasters as a means to tackle harmful content that appears online.

Research published alongside its consideration on possible regulation found that 79% of UK adult internet users have concerns about aspects of going online, while 45% said they had experienced some form of online harm.

Google’s corporate birthday falls on September 4 – the date the company was founded – but the company also counts September 27 as a landmark day as it marks the anniversary of the first Google Doodle – a temporary alteration to the logo on the site’s homepage which commemorates certain events and people.

The new illustration will appear on the Google homepage throughout Thursday, alongside a video highlighting some of the most popular searches from the last 20 years.

“Though much has changed in the intervening years — including now offering Search in more than 150 languages and over 190 countries — Google is still dedicated to building products for everyone.

“Today’s video Doodle takes a stroll down memory lane by exploring popular searches all over the world throughout the last two decades.”

Earlier this week, Google also announced a range of updates to its search engine, including a new personalised news feed of articles and videos based on user interests, as well as improved image searches that use artificial intelligence.

The firm’s vice president of search, Ben Gomes, said: “Providing greater access to information is fundamental to what we do, and there are always more ways we can help people access the information they need.

“That’s what pushes us forward to continue to make Search better for our users. And that’s why our work here is never done.”

The technology giant is expected to make further announcements on Thursday.