Google just launched Bulletin, a service that aims to let people share news stories that might have gone under the mainstream media’s radar.
Bulletin is designed to help personalize the Google News experience.
Google’s new Bulletin service allows any user with a smartphone and the application to publish text accompanied by tags, images, and video “without having to create a blog or build a website.”
The stories published through the application come up on Google search and can be shared just like any other link.
It’s similar to the neighborhood social network Nextdoor, except without the vetting process, since Google wants to limit the setup process.
“With Bulletin you can contribute to local stories and be the voice of your community!” the website reads.
Interestingly, the app is available only in Nashville, Tennessee, and Oakland, California, right now. And people must request early access, according to the site.
Google has positioned Bulletin as a follow-up to both the 2017 Google News redesign that promised better navigation for news specific to individual users and the Community Updates tool that focuses on local news.
“Bulletin is an experimental app that gives people an easy way to tell stories about what is going on around them – ranging from local bookstore readings to high school sporting events to information about local street closures,” Google spokeswoman Maggie Shiels said.
“We are excited to see how people use the app during this pilot phase,” she added.
