Did you notice how adding photos to a place from Google Photos got quite a bit smarter?
In an effort to prevent posting duplicate pics, Google now made it impossible to upload an image twice. The unique photo ID is used for this check.
As usual, don’t expect any explanations. Your image is just not added.
I think this is a nice improvement.
Cheers
Interesting to see this, @MortenCopenhagen
Do they use the filename or what? I can’t find any info on the help page. Can you kindly share a link?
Hi @ErmesT
No, the filename is not sufficient. A Unique Photo ID (a long number) inside the file is used. I found info on this when I needed to re-upload an image. I had to edit the image to ensure a new Unique Photo ID. I was testing how the re-upload was limited.
I will try to find a reference and add it here:
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/34651/what-is-the-image-unique-id-exif-field
Cheers
One more observation: As soon as the first photo with the same Unique ID is deleted, a new version can be re-uploaded. So the test happens in realtime (no need to wait for servers to sync).
Cheers
We have such filtering system even for photos those directly uploads through Google Maps but not totally sure that it works 100% perfect @MortenCopenhagen
We never add duplicate photos when those are stable on the place. Even about this recent photo disappearing problem, I didn’t put the time to find and replace photos because I was hopeful to photos come back. But at least for one place that I accidentally saw again, I found that my photo disappeared and the place has no photo, I tried to add one old photo again about a month ago and it added from Google Photos.
Well, as I said, this is interesting (and easy to check if focused on your profile) .
Did you get some kind of message (I never tried to add a duplicate, at least not intentionally)
BTW, my hope was for a visual check, to be able to find also the “redundant” photos 
Hi @Amiran
Having photos rejected by the Photo Quality algorithm on Google Maps is different from the newly discovered duplicate check. And then again: I guess we can consider the dup-check is part of the Photo Quality Check.
The lack of feedback is exactly the same. We need to visit the place to check if the image shows up (most easily under the “By you” tab/card.
My point is just that photos can be rejected for several other reasons. I have started collecting such photos in a dedicated Google Photos album in order to try to learn more why some pics are rejected.
Cheers
Hi @ErmesT
You are right. It would we fantastic if a new routine could be added that would block the upload of near-duplicate photos. But the newly “discovered” block of images with the same Unique Photo ID in the metadata can’t fix that problem. If you walk 1 meter to the side and take another very similar shot, this photo will get another Unique Photo ID - and hence not be blocked.
Cheers
Well, right now the photos takes time to be also “approved” @MortenCopenhagen
I Uploaded a few days ago some photo of Venice. Some of them were visible after a few minutes, while another one appeared only after a couple of days. So it seems there is some work on the background
I agree, @ErmesT
The current situation is extraordinary. I experience the same as you described. So I stopped adding pictures and will resume when systems return to normal. I’m just wondering why the automatic systems were also halted.
Cheers
Well, is seems there is a kind of photos approval procedure @MortenCopenhagen , and the photo are available on my public profiles.
My feeling is that there is a too steps procedure (no, I don’t have any insight), with an automated filter on the first step, confirmed by a human.
Probably there is some test going on, unfortunately slowed down by the actual issue with Covid-19
Local Guide Level 10 OMG… and look at the numbers you have 
@MortenCopenhagen It seems you are right! I tried to add a photo twice and now I see only one photo at the place. Moreover, I cut the photo and olso tried to add it, the result was the same! It’s really great! This fear of doubles really poisoned all the fun!
But maybe you know the answer for the question, how to check own photos for possible doubles, which could be added earlier? Or maybe they are deleted automatically already? I try not to add doubles, but I can’t be sure that I never did it by mistake.
Hi @OlgaKlimchik ,
Thanks for checking.
I’m pretty sure that there is no easy way to find older duplicates. I have uploaded almost 11.000 images and it is an impossible task to reach the oldest pics. One trick is to find them on the places’ pages if you remember the place.
Cheers
@MortenCopenhagen Thank you a lot for your answer.
@MortenCopenhagen We can’t add the doubles for the same place, but we can add doubles for different places 
, program allows to do it now (for example one photo for the trade center and the small shop in it).
It’s also a great problem, hope it will be solved soon too.
have to duplicate otherwise making tour pretty impossible so is auto-connect 360 photos. Same photos but one step away.
Btw you can modify the exif file of photo. Another question, I shot 4 angles up to 8 for one panorama photo and each angle needs 3 up to 9 shots of different exposure compensation to create HDR effect, I pick 4 -8 shots each row, over, under, 0, I can creat 3 up to 9 panaroma photos, different Photo ID, little touch up through Photoshop/Lightroom, none of photos are same. Is this duplication? I guess not
Hi @Devilgorgor ,
You are correct. I should have made clear that this is about normal photos and not 360 shots. And manual HDR images needs to be merged into one photo before uploading them to Google Maps.
Thank you.
