I have today discovered that everyone using google maps is automatically added as a local guide. But the opt out buttom is gone. Why is this happening. Can someone explain this to me? This is recent as of February 2026
I don’t think everyone “using” Google Maps, but rather those who contribute at least one review, photo or video is declared “Local Guide”.
This was discussed here already some time ago and Google will most likely never tell us, why the did it.
Personally, I don’t see any advantage in opting out. If you want to quit the program, you can easily delete all reviews and media you posted and don’t contribute anymore. If there was a way to leave the Local Guides or if you delete your Google profile, you probably don’t even have that opportunity anymore.
This could be a problem if you have 2 google accounts one for home and one for work. They are comming from the same computer. If i use my smartphone the account is different from home. But i have both on my laptop. By accident they can automatically create a new account on my name. This could create unnecessery problems.
There has been no public announcement about this.
But you are correct. The opt-out form dissapeared in october last year. And since then any Maps user making contributions on Maps automatically get the Local Guide title.
Only exit should be to delete your contributions dispite not all contributions can be deleted.
Why would you want to exit the program?
As long as you don’t deliberately use two account to spam or artificially boost a place or the other profile you should be safe.
I dont want to exit the programm. But i have more than one google account. My consern is that if i use my other account work related and use google maps this could mean automatically me being a member with 2 accounts this is also in my name. Is there not a policy that prohibits it?
See my previous reply.
This did indeed happen to me two or three years ago @Hout-3530. After I realized that, I deleted all contributions of one profile, made sure the profile photos are different and after each post, I verify in My Contributions if it was published. At that point, I would notice, if I posted to the wrong account, because it would be the only one there, but it never happened so far.
Hi @Hout-3530
This is a change that happened a few months ago.
Google Maps is not very clear on the help page, but in fact, everyone that’s using Google Maps, even with no contributions, is considered a Local Guide, with some exclusion.
According to About Local Guides - Google Maps Help
“Local Guides is offered everywhere GoogleMaps is available. At this time, Google Maps is available in more than 40 countries and languages.
The Local Guides program is for individuals, not businesses. Contributions from businesses or business pages won’t count toward Local Guides levels or benefits.”
However, if we check the Local Guides Terms and Conditions - Google Maps Help, they say that
“Local Guides are contributors who share ratings, reviews, photos, edits, and other factual updates to places on Google Maps.”
This in theory could exclude the ones who never contributed in Maps, but we know that on reality they appear as L1.
In fact having 2 account as Local Guides is no longer a problem, if you respect the policies with both accounts, avoiding to share the same contents with more than one account, and avoiding to review a place twice.
Business accounts are automatically excluded (accounts that that are registered as business)
I see many helpful suggestions already here. I would support the way to remove your contribution from your work / second account, you don’t want to contribute with and delete connect account(option available under preferences section). I suspect this is the second account you’re here with.
Hi @deepakjhic
If this removed the Local Guide title from Maps, it would be a great solution. I asked the Google Moderators for a clarification.
Signing up on Connect is separate from becoming a Local Guide, so I doubt this will work.
Let’s wait for the clarification.
Cheers
Hello @MortenCopenhagen,
I didn’t mean it will remove you from the program but it will stop tracing your ip addresses.
I hope you understand the ip things here on connect.