Trying to post a review and photos for General Chao and it keeps saying can’t post, try again later. Have logged out, logged back in, turned off the computer, and tried again the next day. Has my account been limited in some way? Is there a problem with this listing? What do I do to fix it?
10 Likes
Hello @JackieMcMillan
The link mentioned by you is for a search page.
Nevertheless, the place is accessible for reviews.
As a test, I created a review (& then deleted that).
However, I do find some problem with your profile.
You have created 314 reviews out of which 69, i.e. 22% are now private.
That’s a very high proportion. It’s necessary to examine those.
You can either edit to remove any objectionable content or delete those.
However, that may not be the cause preventing you to create reviews.
I suggest you try the following.
- Clear the history and cookies completely.
- If the problem persists, try posting the review through some other device.
2 Likes
Thanks @C_T . I don’t understand what is objectionable about my reviews? They’re genuine accounts of my visits to restaurants. How do I see which reviews are private?
Here are some quick steps you can follow to figure out which of your reviews are marked private:
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Here on Connect you can copy the link to your public profile on Google Maps. Click on your face then click on your name and then copy the link.
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Open a browser and paste the link and hit return. This should not open the app if you are on a mobile device. If it does try this on a desktop.
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Open Your Contributions and select Reviews.
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Open an incognito window. Paste the link and hit return. This will show you your profile without being logged in.
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Click on View all reviews.
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Now you can compare the two lists of reviews. Any review missing on your the list in the incognito window is flagged privat.
Quite simple. It is a lot easier to compare the two lists if you use 2 devices to avoid jumping between the two apps all the time.
Best of luck spotting what could have caused them to be flagged private.
Cheers
4 Likes
Thanks @MortenCopenhagen I can now see quite a few reviews that seem fine to me have been flagged private. I have no idea how to work out why. Do you have any more hints? Would it be using the business owner’s full name? I find this respectful but perhaps Google does not? What happens after I change it? I have tried this on my flagged private review for My Lua, but nothing changed?
Hello @JackieMcMillan
There can’t be any universal criterion.
Thus, when I described the renowned piece of art “David” by Michelangelo; using a specific word, the review became private.
However, I removed that word & now the review remains public even after six months.
Further, you have to share a genuine experience.
There shouldn’t be generalized statements.
Likewise in the case of restaurants, if you say “They took a lot of time to serve after an order”, that’s mistaken.
However, “I received the dish well past half an hour, after placing the order” would be sharing your experience.
4 Likes
You are dealing with an automated system. And I hope the removal of the made private flag takes effect right away. Maybe someone else could confirm this.
I remember someone sharing a list of terms that can trigger the system but now I can’t find it.
I found this idea : https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Idea-Exchange/Show-clearly-which-reviews-are-marked-private/idi-p/2101164
Which you could vote for but it does not solve anything in the short term.
Try looking at reviews from other local guides to get ideas on how yours are different.
If nothing else you could try removing 50% of a text until it becomes public. And then expand again until the system tells you what was unwanted. May more than one thing.
Remember to refresh to see if your public count went up/down.
Good luck.
2 Likes
Hi @JackieMcMillan ,
Thanks for reaching out! I see that @MortenCopenhagen and @C_T gave you tips on your question. Just to let you know, I marked @MortenCopenhagen 's reply as a solution to your question so other Local Guides can refer to it. The purpose of this feature is to help Local Guides find answers when searching on the Connect. Please take a look at: How do I mark comments as solutions? article.
Thanks @MortenCopenhagen . I don’t think the changes take effect immediately because I have changed two reviews that were missing, with no change in the private browsing window. There’s nothing obviously wrong with my reviews - I am a food writer by trade and don’t make universal claims as @C_T suggested. I do however use people’s names as I think it’s respectful - journalists can do it, so I don’t see why reviewers on here can’t when the names are already in the public domain. Imagine if you made a cocktail list and nobody cared enough to acknowledge your role in their great drinks. I find this whole system of hiding reviews and not telling the reviewer ridiculous.
1 Like
It is easy to follow your point of view. All I can suggest is as mentioned testing by removing bits to see what the trigger is. This info would be valuable to other local guides.
Or you could just ignore this since there is no guarantee that fixing your hidden reviews will let you post new reviews.
I think we might need some help from someone like @TsekoV to take a deeper look at this since it is very relevant for the motivation for all local guides to get this sorted out properly.
Cheers
1 Like
One more thing. The Try again-error message is normally seen when the internet connection is weak. I take that this is not the case her?
That’s a useful tip @MortenCopenhagen
However, I came across a remark earlier that a private review will not have the “Like” and " Share" options. Is that correct?
1 Like
Hi @C_T
When your reviews are not shown no one can like or share them. If you see likes on a hidden review it could be that is was not immediately flagged private.
Hello @MortenCopenhagen
I shall state that correctly. It’s not for the general public but for the reviewer, who is able to see the private review while logged in. Here, the review will not display the buttons to like or share.
Currently, I do not have any means to test that. Maybe I shall have to force one review to become private and experiment with that.
1 Like
Alright, @C_T
Earlier today I scrolled down to find my private reviews while comparing to my public list of reviews. So I scrolled down again under Your Contributions and found that both the Like and Share button are visible under a private review. So that can’t be used as an indicator for private reviews.
Cheers
1 Like
Thanks for the clarification @MortenCopenhagen
2 Likes
Hi @TsekoV,
I have changed my review for My Lua now multiple times, and it still is private. I don’t understand what is wrong with it? Could you please look at this text and tell me what I have done wrong, so maybe I can work out how to change the other 22% of my reviews that have been hidden from view. I am finding this upsetting, as all my reviews are genuine, and platforms like Trip Advisor and Zomato accept them.
My Lua occupies an interstitial space between towering office blocks. Formerly a takeaway business that plied a trade in burgers and pasta dishes, it has slowly been converted it to bring the authentic flavour of Vietnamese food from Saigon to Sydney. The only concession to the location is keeping an Aussie-style coffee’n’toast brekky over the more usual Vietnamese soup and noodle breakfasts. Arranged under a shelter, the outdoor tables are tucked into a nook that sees them largely protected from any wind tunnels howling down either Market Street or Kent Street. From the array of overhead menu boards, or the colourful paper menus by the door, make your lunchtime selection from the list of banh mi, pho, bun (noodle bowls), goi (salads), com (rice dishes) or goi cuon (rice paper rolls). Keep your eyes peeled for combo. deals that allow you to mix and match, or simply make your own – everything here is fresh and affordable. My BBQ Honey Soy Chicken Goi Cuon ($5) was a better-than-average rice paper roll with crisp cucumber, fragrant mint, springy vermicelli, crunchy fried shallots and honey-soy chook. Dragged through their tasty roasted peanut sauce, it was a lovely way to start my meal. My Lua’s thinly sliced, marinated and grilled pork is well-showcased in a Bao ($5.90); a soft white steamed bun that arrived in Vietnam with Cantonese immigrants. With the weather being warm, Vietnamese Iced Coffee ($6.50) is the order of the day. After it drips through into the milky sweet layer below, stir well then pour it into the accompanying glass of ice for a cooling beverage that is robust without being inaccessible. I finish with a steaming bowl of Pho ($13.90/regular). For an extra buck you can have your beef noodle soup with all types of beef. It’s the best way to eat it, with toothsome beef balls, thinly sliced rare beef (I do prefer mine pinker), beef brisket slices, shin, and textural ribbons of tripe. My Lua make a very enjoyable broth with round spices that tickle your palate before the richness of bone broth comes in. It holds its own against the accompanying sauces – sriracha for heat and hoisin for sweetness and middle (throw in the lemon if you add too much). Pulling out slippery flat rice noodles and slurping away happily, I resolve to visit My Lua again for another healthy, inexpensive, workday lunch.
Hello, @JackieMcMillan
One random guess.
Can you please remove the mention of prices in your review and try again? With the tariffs, that sounds to be a marketing endeavour.
Hi @C_T , every single review I have written contains prices, including all the published ones. I think it’s reasonable to base your decision to visit a restaurant on value.
No use…