Why is it that I see local guides answer questions that they have no clue what the answer is saying things like IDK or I have no clue? Or even worse why are there guides giving information that is absolutely false, mostly just absolute guesses? I’m beginning to question the validity of the the Google Guide program. I LOVE being a guide but I really think that Google should address this unhelpful practice with the guides that are doing this. Maybe some guides are under the misunderstanding that if they receive a push notice with a question that they are unfamiliar with that they have to post an answer anyway or are they just doing it to gain answers points? Because Google should Definitely not credit anyone with erroneous answers or answers that are just clutter keeping the person asking the question from being able to see the answer of a guide who actually knows what they are talking about. Idk maybe its just that it irritates me to the bone and I am tired of seeing all the garbage answers so I know the people looking for answers are as well.
In this, your experience of Local Guide is extremely important, @Your_Guide_Shotgun , because not everything can be verified by an algorithm.
Feel free to report every wrong answer, or every wrong information in Google maps.
If you see that a local guide is doing this as an attitude, feel free to report the whole profile. Please read You can now report entire profiles for abuse on Google Maps for more information about reporting
Thank you @ErmesT I am very happy to know this information, it’s VERY helpful because when I’ve seen these types of answers, and unfortunately I see them A LOT, I have wondered how I could possibly help to get them erased! It’s just too confusing for someone looking for answers to have to wade through several pointless “idk’s” and I really feel sorry for the original poster of the question as they had to receive each stupid answer independently as they came in, what a pain!..I’m including a screenshot of a perfect example of what I’m speaking on:
i realize the first answer is not a guide, but the second answer is the worst one and it is!
Hello @Your_Guide_Shotgun
In the Q and A section in Maps, we can report an irrelevant question and also flag an inappropriate answer.
Trust, you have used both the means to report an abuse.
Nevertheless, for a moment, I got an impression that you are reporting about some trivial questions on Connect site itself!
No @C_T you can actually trust that I have NEVER used any means to report abuse just as I have never been to the Connect site nor did I know there was a Q and A section because had I known that is where I would have posted…but what I am positive of is that my inquiring about whether people were under the incorrect assumption that they are required to answer questions regardless of their knowledge on the subject did NOT in any way warrant your highly inappropriate and trivial smart Alec remark.
Hello @Your_Guide_Shotgun
Thanks for the clarification.
I reckon there are many point chasers. Answering a question adds three points instantly irrespective of the quality of the answer.
Nevertheless, that’s not uncommon.
Some persons adopt dishonest tactics to gain quick points. Following are to name a few.
Posting photo repeats, or same photo at multiple places of interests.
Posting selfies and group photos. Maps photo uploading guidelines recommend to refrain from doing so & leave those pics for other social media sites.
Stuffing of reviews with unnecessary words, dots or dashes & so on.
You should report such malpractices whenever you come across.
Hey @Your_Guide_Shotgun ,
Thanks for reaching out to us!
Please feel free to report a profile if needed as per the article that @ErmesT shared with you. I just wanted to let you know that I redacted your comment and removed the screenshots for privacy reasons. As you know, our forum is public, so sharing sensitive information is against our rules for your own safety and safety of others.
@Your_Guide_Shotgun as @C_T already indicated, quite a few of those non-sensical answers are just given by people who eagerly want to earn local guides points and progress to the next level. Gamification (the points and levels stuff) is a big part of the success of the Local Guides program, but unfortunately it also has this kind of side-effects.
@Your_Guide_Shotgun You might also want to check this post from @JeroenM about flagging inappropriate answers to questions on maps