Google Map Local Guide Points

[Hermes Hidayat]

So i am an active Google Maps Local Guide. Been a Local Guide for almost 3 years now and i noticed that my points are going down instead of up. Any idea why?

 

[B. Diddy]

Looks like it's the Answers that are going down. Maybe someone at Google is reviewing answers and deleting ones that aren't considered valid?

 

[kct1975]

Here is an explanation from the Google Maps Help site...

"Points do not expire, though they may decrease if content is removed for violating our policies."

https://support.google.com/local-guides/answer/6225851?hl=en

I know that over the past few years I've lost a few points myself due to a business having Google remove photos I too of the interior of the business or a business asking Google to remove a rare negative rating posted by me.

Google Maps Local Guides program is susposed to be impartial, but I have found that typically all it takes is a business to complain about a negative review, even if it was written very politely, for it to be removed.

So just be warned. It can happen.

 

[B. Diddy]

Google Maps Local Guides program is susposed to be impartial, but I have found that typically all it takes is a business to complain about a negative review, even if it was written very politely, for it to be removed.

That's pretty annoying. Figure out which business and post the same review, mentioning that it was taken down for some unclear and fishy reason. Keep posting it if they keep taking it down -- someone will see it!

 

[kct1975]

Just an update as a warning to everyone...

So a few days ago I was looking through my Google Maps contributions, and I noticed I was unable to see my Local Guides Level or my Local Guides Points.

I did a little research and found that I have been removed from the Google Local Guides program by Google, without any prior warning

I found and filled out the the online Google Local Guides Appeal form, and submitted it.

A day later I got a response from Google, that stated I had been permanently banned from the Google Maps Local Guides Program due to a few of my Business Reviews. I was not told which of my Business Reviews were in Violation. Instead I was given a link to the Current Google Local Guides Program Rules and a link that specifically pointed to portion that mention that the Google Local Guides Program prohibits reviewing business with whom you have worked with or have a personal interest in.

My assumption is that I got flagged and banned for reviews of some of the places I have worked. Apparently either positive or negative, according to the current Local Guides rules, my reviews were against the rules, even though most have been postive.

More specifically, however, I believe that I must have been flagged for a couple of negative, but polite, reviews I left for a couple of places I worked. One place I left a negative review for, hired me for a Federal Gov't Contract that only had a couple of months left, and I was never told that when I was hired. So I simply mentioned in my review of the business, that the company seemed to be to be disorganized.

What is worse is that I was never warned by anyone that I was in violation of any of the current rules. And if my memory is correct, when I first joined the Google Local Guides Program, reviewing companies for whom you worked, was not against any of the rules.

My anger for being banned from the Google Local Guides Program is not so much for what I was banned for, as it is Google's right, whether I like it or not, to change and update their policies. My anger is that Google never made any attempt to warn me or let you know that I was in violation of any of their policies.

Additionally, I sincerely wish that Google would give me the opportunity to remove any of my Reviews or Content that has offended them.