Google confirmed the project to Slate on Friday. "This is very much in the testing phase and aimed at hyperlocal stories and events for people to share, and for local media to take advantage of," a Google spokesperson explained to Slate. "People everywhere want to know what is going on in their own backyard at a very local level, ranging from local bookstore readings to high school sporting events to information about local street closures."

It's not hard to see a tool like Bulletin as a boon to local reporters and news outlets looking for stories closer to home. While fake news might may be a concern for Google overall, this project seems focused on events and happenings rather than hard news stories. Either way it pans out, putting power like this in the hands of the people just might make a lot of sense for regional communities looking to share what's going on in their own neck of the woods.