Google announced that starting from September 2025, the follower/following feature on Google Maps will be removed. All follower data will be deleted, and contributors will no longer have profile followers directly on Maps.
For me, this makes sense from a privacy perspective, but I also see a gap for those of us who want to stay connected.
My suggestion: Instead of completely removing the ability to follow contributors, Google could link profiles directly to Local Guides Connect. That way, when someone visits a Maps profile, they can easily find and follow the same person on Local Guides Connect, where our community is already active.
This would help:
• Keep the connection alive between contributors and followers.
• Encourage more people to join Local Guides Connect.
• Make it easier for users to find and engage with trusted contributors beyond just their Maps reviews.
I believe this would be a meaningful way to strengthen both Google Maps and the Local Guides program after the follower feature is removed.
What do you think? Would you like to see this connection between Maps and Connect?
One issue would be that only a fraction of Maps user are Local Guides and only a tiny fraction of Local Guides have a profile on Connect. And many Connect users are not actively using Connect, so for the vast majority this would be a dead end.
@MortenCopenhagen For me, this loss of followers was a good path, especially because requests for fake profiles and profiles that are full of errors, or inactive and creating accounts to make revisions for money, come in daily.
Thank you, @MortenCopenhagen, for pointing this out. I understand that only a fraction of Maps users are Local Guides with an active Connect profile, which may not work for most.
My thought was more about encouraging connection for active people in both spaces. Even if it helps a smaller group, it could make the transition smoother when the follower feature is removed. In the future, Google could consider another way to connect Maps contributors with Connect or introduce a new space where contributors can connect and learn from each other more directly.
I appreciate your feedback — it helps me see the bigger picture.
The Connect Moderators have repeatedly encouraged Google to create a strong link from Maps to Connect. So your intention is well appreciated. Over the past week or so I have noticed more new profiles on Connect. This is probably because the learn more text related to the following feature ending mentioned Connect.
Please be advised that I added the new tag “Feature request” but removed the “Connect Forum” from your topic as your idea is related to Google Maps. Thanks!
