So far the local Guides have found my review interesting. However, I believe that the possibility of receiving a “negative” rating can also be an incentive to write “interesting” reviews.
As you see, now the indication in the App is “Helpful” and “Not helpful”. Is this the reason why our “Like” count in our profile is showing zero, about reviews?
Please let us know:
Is the function already available in Your App?
If yes, did you flagged already a review as “Not Helpful”?
What is your feeling about the possibility to flag as “Not Helpful” a review?
What is your feeling about the possibility to have your review flagged as “Not Helpful”?
I just installed the March 18th, 2021 version of the public beta version of Google Maps on my Android phone.
Yes, I see the new option to also dislike reviews as “Not helpful”.
I guess I will find out how I feel about the negative “likes” when I get some! It’s too early to tell. I wonder if the like counts will start over from scratch should I chose to edit my review based on the feedback. But I doubt it.
I just down-voted an offensive review (also reported for removal)
In general I can say that I like the possibility, as an incentive to write “useful” reviews.
However, my fear is that this tool can be used by “bad” businesses to offset the effect of negative reviews. The idea that “profile attacks” may be unleashed by Local Guides who have left a negative review scares me, and I fear that the result will be more hidden profiles
Indeed @ErmesT I see this too. For me this is also an extra tool to counter reviews that have obviously been paid for (e.g. by a local guide reviewing dentists or appliance repair services all over the country).
Absolutely yes, @JanVanHaver
However, I have a mixed feeling about this feature, because I fear it can also be used as a tool to attack a Local Guide that has left a negative review.
I hope that Google has also created a monitoring tool for this type of action, which could lead many Local Guides to make their profile private.
Ehi @ErmesT interesting and useful function … But it also makes me think: putting a or is very easy and everyone can do it without thinking well… It would not be even more interesting to motivate our choice by including a small explanation of our thumb up or down? This could possibly also discourage “bad deeds”
Haha @ErmesT – I have to tell you. I have this feature! – on my Pixel, NOT on my iPhone! It’s interesting to see it on the Google Maps place, but not on your personal Local Guides Google Maps profile page. You won’t know if you received a “Not Helpful” to your review I guess. You only see if you received “Likes” by a number associated or nothing (no Like number(s) associated with your review).
I agree with your assessment. I can see how the “Not Helpful” feature can easily get abused. But I like the “Not Helpful” functionality because I see a lot of poorly written (not make any sense) reviews that I can now “Not Helpful.”
Now I’m waiting for the official release explaining about this new features. What’s the consequences for the profile who’d given thumbs down, does it affect the points or reputation, etc.
Give thumbs down to Local Guides that I don’t like sounds interesting…
I did some further testing. As hinted by @KarenVChin the possibility to down vote reviews on the review contribution list of others is not available. If you wanted to harm a Maps User you would need to open the places’ pages and then scroll down until you find the review from the one you wish to hurt. That is a pretty tall wall that most likely will prevent most systematic bad behavior. It will be very time consuming.
I also confirm what was reported by @KarenVChin : on iOS there is no such function, while on the Pixel it does
Honestly, the abuse of this function scares me too, I hope there are the right Google algorithms that “monitor” for good who is perhaps raging on a LocalGuide putting the thumbs down on his reviews only out of envy!
However I can add a note, already highlighted by others: it is not possible do downvote a review from the profile.
In the profile you can only give a like. If you want to downvote a review you will have to do it on the business listing, so it is not possible to simply drop down a long series of “not useful” to a Local Guide
Yes, I had noticed this aspect @ErmesT : this complicates the fact of wanting to put the thumbs down on the reviews of a LocalGuide.
The fact of going to open the LocalGuide profile, look at the activities he reviewed and then look for them one by one on Google Maps highlights and not a little the bad faith of this behavior and for this I hope that Google will take it into consideration!
@ErmesT I believe the reviews should be genuine enough and should have some value add. Else just writing a good or okay ain’t going to help people about the place. I have been chased by many restaurant owners to give a 5 star. What point manipulating the actual experience. If my reviews aren’t conveying the actual experience I think people should have all the freedom to dislike or add comments against the given reviews. This is going to bring some transparency with the contribution made by so many local guides all across the world.
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is very easy and everyone can do it without thinking well… It would not be even more interesting to motivate our choice by including a small explanation of our thumb up or down? This could possibly also discourage “bad deeds”