I am tired of this war, this is unfair

Google Maps tips & tricks
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1

Since October 7 2023, every picture I upload to Google Maps within the borders of Israel/Palestine does not get anywhere but my private profile. Nobody can see it publicly.

I was top 184 on Google Maps views when I checked half a year ago. Since then, at least 20 people surpassed me with the total number of photo views on Google Maps.

I travel pretty often despite the war and trouble, and every travel, I take pictures of business like madman, because this is my only chance to contribute to Google Maps like I have been doing for years, more than 30,000 photos and videos. In September I visit London and between the many plays and events my plan is to walk around the streets and take pictures and videos to upload to Google Maps - this is one of my main goals, yes. For all the world to enjoy!

This is absurd. This is unfair. Release the ban. At least allow a Level 10 local guide to upload photos. I understand Google does not want random people to spam bad pictures because Israel/Palestine is “controversial”. But I believe a level 10 guide with this resume is trustworthy enough. You do not kill cockroaches with a flamethrower and burn the entire house!

This is hurting me badly! This is depressing me! I am nearing 1 billion views on my contributions, and I want to keep my pace up, instead, I see it wane and people just pass over me as if I do nothing. I DO THINGS! They just don’t get anywhere…

I stopped taking pictures of business in Israel, but sometimes I test it and I try, to see if the ban was lifted. No. It’s still here. Almost 3 years. 3 years that my favorite hobby, my “personal garden”, is deviously demolished by this stupid war.

Let me upload photos of business, let me help them, despite the war. Israeli business deserve my pics, I go over streets and I try to help every business - so people will know how it looks and where to find it, what to expect inside and out etc.

LET ME BE!!! PLEASE!!!

2

Experiencing the same issue, it’s frustrating :sob:

3

@comatan96 and @Sunny2650

If you are interested in why Google (or the US government) blocks for user contributions during conflicts, please see

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t/understanding-regional-editing-restrictions/384445

4

I don’t need the why. We discussed it over two years ago, when nobody helped me understand why I get 0 views on new pics, without any error. I have already read it, thanks to you, back then… I suddenly remember your face and picture.

This is not useful, or helpful, in any way.

I need Google to change their attitude to people with 35K pictures in their history, I need Google to trust me and remove the restriction at least for me!!! What did I do wrong?

And reviews are still open! So people can still do harm with words…

Also, right now there is no war! For months! So what is Google planning to do? Wait until global peace or what? Tel Aviv is completely safe.

I am sorry if this sounds aggressive, but this is a bot-like answer to a serious issue and frustration. I have not been uploading in my home country for almost three years, do you understand it?

I will seriously move out of this country, only for the sake of going back to my previous pace, and conquering the number one spot of number of views on Google Maps.

35,155 photos and videos uploaded, 931,453,071 views. 0 respect from Google.

5

I can check your public contributions for potential violations if you care.

Feeling optimistic that Google will change their policies and practices because you are upset is not realistic. I know this from experience.

Keeping an open mind about you might have violated some of the many guidelines is a more realistic - and a better path to get things fixed.

We are now about 500 million LG, so Google can/will not provide individual support to users on a free product.

6

I am uploading without restrictions in any location outside of Israeli/Palestine, brother. Valencia, Cyprus, Prague, Italy etc. All within the last few months.

If I violated any guideline, I wish to be informed of it. Instead, I keep getting positive mails from Google Maps on how well I do, and how proud Google is of my work.

It is not an individual support. I say, I am a LEVEL 10 guide. I am top 204 views. This is nothing to be taken for granted. You should keep an open mind to what I do and what I wish to do. Level 10 guides can and should be above geo-political nonsense, unless you and Google say, anything you’ve done so far, is meaningless to us.

7

I see you have near 2 billion views, on far less photos uploaded than me. Do you understand that living in Europe makes you privileged? If I lived in Europe, I would’ve had double the pics and double views than you. But you can talk freely from your high ground, without understanding the pain of war. Unfair, frustrating. I don’t wish you to know war. I wish people on Google to allow us to do what we do best, and I promise I will do better than you and surpass you with views no sooner than later.

8

You’re certainly very passionate about your dedication to Google Maps contributions @Sunny2650. I don’t think Google is against you personally. It appears there is a policy in place in a specific region, and that affects all persons equally in the same circumstances. It isn’t specifically directed at you, and it isn’t going to specifically exempt you based on any special criteria. That seems quite fair to me.

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It is a bad policy that should be changed, altered. I say we should exclude people who have reached level 10. It is a very high level and shows dedication and that these local guides are trustworthy enough, not to do funny things because of geopolitical conflics.

I don’t see anything fair in blocking the service entirely for years.

I don’t see anything fair in disabling a top guide to help everyone.

500 million local guides, and I have more photos and views than 99.99% of them. Think of it. This is not the usual case. This is unfair to treat everyone the same.

Google must change their ways sooner than later.

10

Hello @Sunny2650,

Thank you for reaching out. Please note that there are times when certain places or geographic areas become vulnerable to irrelevant, offensive, or malicious content. This could be in response to a real-world event that attracts off-topic comments, or in some cases a larger geographic area that may be at higher risk due to conflict or instability. When this happens, Maps may temporarily restrict contributions to prevent abuse. When we see the abuse attempts and the risk of policy-violating content subside, we lift the restrictions.

I have changed the category and tags of your topic to better represent what you have shared.

11

I am well aware of the policy that restricts contributions to prevent abuse. I say that this policy is a flamethrower to a bug. I say that it is heartless to restrict level 10 guides, it is absurd not to trust users with thousands of points in their name.

Your explanation contributes nothing new to my situation, or to Google Map’s situation.

You should take my note and change the policy! This general, user-wide restriction is unfair, unjust and incorrect.

Why can’t you assist in changing it? What is so complicated to allow level 10 guides the exception of this harsh, cruel policy, that is depressing one of the finest contributors on the platform? To be top 200 among 500 million guides, this means I am top 0.00004%, do you realize this?

Same goes for @MortenCopenhagen the Danish privileged guy who preaches me I may have invalid contributions. Absurd. The only thing invalid is Google making my photos be uploaded to NOWHERE, without any feedback. This is deceit!

PS

At the moment there is no war in Israel! Let us be!

I did not find the correct topic and tag, sorry about it and thank you for correcting.