I realized that my reviews are no longer showing up. If I review a location, the review is visible on my account but my friend is not able to see it when he is looking for the same location on Google maps. What is the reason for that? Are some accounts flagged?
This has been an ongoing issues that affects some users. Your reviews may get flagged for various reasons. If you attached photos to your review, try to limit to 1-2 photos only, or even just post the review on itself. Make sure they’re high quality and reflects your own experience.
Make sure as well that your reviews don’t contain prohibited/restricted content
Hello @iyudhi
thank you very much for your insight.
I’m using this app and a review function since over seven or eight years. And as much fun, it is to collect points on photos. I always post my own pictures since I love Photography. It is simply just about the reviews. Even if I just post one or two pictures and try to review a business nothing shows up.
I double checked now every single review. They do not show up. As said, on my profile they’re visible. But other people can’t see them.
@JacobLED if you feel your reviews are not violating any guidelines, you can try submitting for an appeal. You can use the form below
Account investigation for contributions not visible on Google Maps
@JacobLED some reviews are flagged and it does take a bit more time for them to be checked.
Is your review pending or rejected?
If it pending, just wait.
Rejected is more painful as it is sometimes hard to understand the cause.
I had some reviews being rejected for photos which seemed very legit and not even close to seem like duplicates.
I just remove them.
life is too short to apeal on single contribution (imo).
I usually never have a pending or rejected notice. It just doesn’t show up when my friends are looking for it. The appeal button shows up in my email, but usually for very old reviews.
Thank you for the link. I sent them a request for an investigation. I don’t think that my reviews are violating the Google Maps standards. But since the past 6-7 months I’m facing this problem.
I was also thinking, the reason behind that might be, that I am not using Google Maps actively anymore. I just have it as a guide and not actively with location services on. It was always a little time consuming to write reviews right on scene, and some day I decided to drop my reviews as a bundle after visiting a city or country, while being at the airport or having a boring bus ride. It’s also a nice flashback, to go through all the moments.
Do you think Google noticed that, and does not recognize my travels to the certain locations? Does it make sense?
Makes totally sense. I stopped using Google Maps, in some countries it is totally inaccurate. For example there is an app called Mapplea for India and in Kazakhstan is Yandex Maps much better. I always write a text to my reviews, even always add a photo pr a video. I tried it though. With or without proof of travel, they’re not showing up. 
Good question. Thank you @anon6603826 @iyudhi @abermans 
It used to be simple and easy.
I added dozens of new businesses to Google Maps. The approval time varies between a few days to a couple weeks. I am not sure how Google is deciding it, if they need a previous record or request from another local guide to add a new business so yours will be just an approval?? 
You see, we have no insights there, how it’s been decided.
It was an interactive thing. As the most people usually do. You sit somewhere, have a drink or eat something and leave a review while being there or after leaving. WIFI or mobile data was never the question. Some shop owners even used to come to offer you a free tea, because your review popped up on their end instantly.
You’re talking about spammer, what do you really mean by that?
For spamming a business with reviews you will need a flash-mob. Fake reviews? It’s full of them. I do not want to mention any countries here, but also hateful reviews and reviews with conflict of interest. We can report them, did anyone ever followed if such a review was removed?
I did, nothing changed. So all of this is a little spongy and not transparent. Google has for sure not a Google Maps customer service, so why all this theater? As mentioned earlier, rewardless Sisyphus task with a little shoulder tapping. 
This post should not be for downgrading Google Maps and the tasks as a Guide. I benefitted myself somehow of it. Reading the review of a trustable and experienced Guide, and picking your hotel or restaurant. Helps sometimes.
I have been in very nice restaurants in Japan and India, which only had 3,4 
and some 5 businesses were mediocre, because people gave them all fake reviews.
In some places you get a drink for free for a 5 Star review and so on.. the list is long.