The photo is not visible on the POI, but Google Maps send me notifications about the photo

[ErmesT]

This is something weird that I noticed recently on Google Maps.

For the Google Moderators to clearly understand the issue, I will write here a few examples:

Case 1

A few days ago I wanted to go in a village close to where I live, to take some photo. During the walk I noticed that the Veterinary where I started to go with my pets during the lockdown (mine is far away so, due to the traveling limitation I had to choose another one) moved on a new location. Being a Local Guide, I decided to submit an edit (still pending). As the place had no photos, it was not necessary to “close” the POI and create a new one, moving the Pin and changing the address. I walked to the new location first, to check the position, and I submitted 3 photos and the edit, then I moved back to the old place, for adding the evidence (a sign) that the place was moved. The photo is visible on my profile (I performed a check in anonymous mode) as you can see from the screenshots, but not in the POI.

That photo, the most useful, is not visible on the POI but … Google Maps sent me a notification … “Great job, your photo is popular!”

Case 2

On November 6, 2020, I visited Venice, and I realized that on of the biggest Public Wheelchair-accessible bathroom of the city was not in Google Maps.

I added the place, with two photos: One of the entrance, and one related to the accessibility. Only the first photo is visible on the POI and on my public profile, as you can see from the screenshot here below. I didn’t wanted to complain, my thought that that the photo was made private because of the fence.

However, Google sent me an email in December to highlight the number of views of my review. Can you believe this? The private photo was attached on the mail. A photo that still not be visible on the place nor on my public profile

Funny, isn’t it? How is this possible?

Case 3:

It was a night of full moon, October 31st, and casually when I went out for shopping, I had my camera with me.

What a better opportunity for a shot of the Logo of the Mall, with the moon on the tip of the brush?

Again, the photos are visible on my public profile, but not in the POI not on the By You tab

I am tagging @DeniGu for a check, as we had already a conversation about this issue time ago in another post

[C_T]

That’s a perplexing happening @ErmesT

However, I can see your photos at both the POIs.

Here’s a screenshot of the first one.

If there Is there something different in my understanding please inform.

[JoniG]

Hi
When I upload photos to the map it shows me 10-30 views immediately normally.
I think that the view count counts people that just had a “glimpse” of your photo somewhere on google and this is why new photo get a few views so quick.
I believe that normally you have much more than 41 or 33 views and that shows that these images are not on the public POI.
The exact same thing happened to me and this is what I understood from a friend working in google (not in the maps section though)

Hope it helps as much as I can

[DeniGu]

Hi @ErmesT ,

The moment I got to your last photo, I remembered the story. Really appreciate you giving all the details and examples! I’m escalating this to the responsible team to investigate.

[ErmesT]

You see three of my photos on the POI @C_T , (the fourth of your screenshot is from Street View), but you don’t see the fourth one (that is only visible on my profile, one circled in red on my screenshot). In that photo, that was taken in the “old” storefront" you can read: The Veterinary Clinic moves on January 4th in < new address >

Google congratulate me for that photo, but the photo is not publicly visible

[ErmesT]

I knew you would remember that image, @DeniGu , that’s exactly why I added it.it is one of the most particular images I took in 2020, and I’m sorry that it is not visible (I think I should have sold it at the mall) because the opportunity to photograph the brush that painted the moon (with the right angle and the right light) it was unique and not repeatable.

However, that is the least “problematic” image, because it is publicly visible in my public profile, even if not added to the POI, and Google never sent me notifications for that photo. Cases 1 and 2 worry me the most, so I hope this post will help the team understand why certain images are not shown. In both POIs the only photos are mine, so it’s not possible to get confused

[C_T]

Thanks for clearing the misunderstanding @ErmesT
Nevertheless, I recollect some communication earlier stating that the photos are getting views but are not visible on the POI.
It appears that the problem is still lingering partially.

[ErmesT]

I am not worried about views, @C_T , and the linked reply is referring to a specific situation, clearly declared by Google, when the contributions were delayed on the POIs, but it was possible to see many of them on the “recent photos” of the area.

I performed that search too, checking also the By You tab in the village. Of course, a photo can be also viewed on my profile by my followers, and this can explain the views.

I have several photos of small businesses that only received a few views, @JoniG , and the number of views is not something I’m worried about.

I simply wants to understand:

• why some photo is not visible on the POI, even if publicly visible and correctly linked to the POI from my profile?
• why some photo, made private by Google, is visible in the “congratulations” notification that Google send to me?

I am not arguing about the decision to make some photo “private”, nor about number of views. I simply try to highlight some glitch

[2be4all]

Salut @DeniGu ! @ErmesT !

Adaug experiența mea :

În Septembrie anul trecut am postat 9/noua poze de la o locație (POI). / (cpt.1)

Acum , căutând acea locație , la tab-ul “De dvs.” apar numai 5/cinci / ( cpt. 2)

Întrebări :

Care a fost motivul omiterii celor 4/patru poze ?

Ce regulă s-a încălcat ?

Mulțumesc,

2b4all