Hi everyone,
I’ve been a Local Guide for over 5 years and have written around 25 genuine, thoughtful reviews (some deleted again as I moved or the shop was taken over). Recently, I noticed that my latest reviews appear posted to me, but they’re not visible publicly — not in Incognito mode and not to others. This includes both a detailed, critical review and a short, positive 5-star review for a café.
Here is the full review I posted about a gym in Cologne (originally written in German, translated here):
2 Star rating
While working out, you can suddenly end up in social media videos – without even noticing.
I regularly train here and at another studio in Cologne. The facilities are great, and I felt comfortable, but something has changed: filming around the square area has increased – often by several people at once. The area is then blocked for an extended time.
Clips that were apparently recorded here keep showing up on social media – with clearly recognizable members in the background or even in focus. Sometimes, individual people are deliberately zoomed in on to gain attention – presumably without those members’ knowledge.
I was recently shown one video with over 20 million views, and more followed. The comments about those unsuspecting members are not always respectful.
All of this seems to be coming from a staff member of the gym, who is regularly filming there in the afternoons and evenings.
I believe a fitness studio should be a protected space. Other members feel the same way. I hope the studio takes a close look at the situation.
P.S.: This gym has a promotion where you can bring someone for free if you leave a positive Google review. A cool idea in itself – but not very transparent, especially for potential new members who rely on honest reviews.
What I’ve tried:
- Enabled location history
- Visited the gym again before posting
- Waited over 48 hours
- Edited and reposted the review
- Contacted Google Support (they responded with general advice and policy info)
- Verified it’s not visible to others or in incognito
- Wrote a 5-star one-liner for a different place – same issue
My account has always been in good standing. I did change my username recently, but I don’t think that should affect review visibility.
Can a moderator or someone from the Google team check if my account or reviews are being auto-filtered? I want to make more authentic reviews in the future and this is very discouraging and confusing, especially since the review concerns a potential privacy issue.
Thanks for any help or guidance.
