Views of indivual Photos reduced drastically or show zero for new uploads

Google Maps tips & tricks
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→ For ongoing updates on this issue, please see @MortenCopenhagen 's comment below, as well es another interesting comment way down in thread ←

This morning I realized, my points were reduced and the views for my top three photos dropped overnight to a level as they were by the end of December 2023. Very likely the same happened to many, of not all of my pictures, but I don’t have the exact numbers to compare. Strangely enough, the total number of views did increase and and the number of photos remained the same:

My Photos in Android app with (green) and without (red) date and view count.
My Photos in Android app with (green) and without (red) date and view count.780×1096 1.01 MB

Update as of Feb, 9:

In spite of my first assumption, the points and the total number of views did continue to increase normally (and as it seems correctly) during the previous two days

Update as of Feb. 19:

I continued to upload photo (although, I don’t have many currently). For those, I uploaded from desk top this morning, I realized:

  • With a shared link , I can see the pictures using a private (anonymous) browser session
  • Anonymous also does see the captions, I added with the Maps app under Android after uploading from the desktop
  • Total number of photos did increase accordingly
  • Number of points did not increase according to the number of new photos.
  • Total number of views did increase before uploading new photos compared to the number of yesterday. However, weeks ago (before the issue started), I noticed the total number of views is never updated twice a day, sometimes even less often. My numbers did increase on the 11., 13., 15., 17., 18. and 19. of February. I did see a reduction on Feb, 14, but very likely this was caused by myself by deleting duplicate photos.

Addition as of February 27, 2024:

Many local guides are asking “Why no official statement by Google?”. Yesterday, @davisjanowski did write some very good words way down in this long thread. To me, the essence can be summarized by this quote (click here to read the full comment->) So, to sum up, you would all be happier just accepting what Google Maps is and not questioning things. .

Addition as of April 10, 2024:

An new statement from Google Administrator @Julie_A includes:

"Over the next couple of days, you’ll notice that the view count graph has been restored in the Contribute tab on Google Maps, which means you should soon be able to see all of your photo and video views back in one place. We’re also happy to share that any of your photo or video views that were temporarily down, are back. "

and
“In the coming weeks, you may see a slower accumulation of views as we make some backend updates to how we capture media views. You may have also noticed that it’s taking several days to see a view count on newly uploaded photos or videos. Rest assured views are still being counted as we resolve the lag with displaying new media views.”

See also the next comment here for a more recent Status for the photo view counter issue.

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UPDATES

The Maps engineering team has found a bug affecting the counting of photo views. They are actively working on fixing this. The Photo views graph has been removed until the fix is implemented.

As of February 15th a few users have reported that photo views have started increasing again after the Maps app was updated yesterday. I got the new version but the individual counters and total photo views are still stuck and the photo views graph is still missing.

As the fix started rolling out we can expect to see the view numbers fluctuate as discussed here.

Update Feb 20th: Obviously, we are still waiting for the fix. Today 2 users reported that individual view counters for older photos started moving sporadically again. As it is currently not possible to delete photos with zero views in the app, please know that it is still possible using a computer.

Update Feb 22nd: This morning two moderators confirmed that the day of posting, the delete icon, and some view counts showed up for recently added photos on mobile. View counts for older photos still stuck or inaccurate.

Update February 29:

I’m pleased to report that most of my individual photo counters for photos posted 3 or 4 days ago are now visible and moving again. There are still issues but this is a very positive development. And I think views have been counted during the temporary glitz rather than lost.

Update March 4th:

Our college @makoshark found the following statement on a Google Maps Help page:

Screenshot 2024-03-04 14.26.18.png
Screenshot 2024-03-04 14.26.18.png1076×327 32.5 KB

The statement looks like the official statement we have been asking for repeatedly. Unfortunately, the underlying announcement from Google only pertains to Google Streetview Trusted Photographers. If you go to the page and tap “Read more” only trusted photographers will be able to read the more detailed statement from Google. They explained that all views will be restored except those from two days. No timeline is mentioned*.*

Update March 5th A

Julie from the LG team just posted a statement which is now marked as the answer to make it appears a the top of this very long thread.

Update March 5th B

This morning many - not all - individual photo view counters started moving again. Fingers crossed it keeps picking up speed and will reach all users.

UPDATE March 6th

More and more users report significant improvements. Here is one such example from @StephanFink . There are still issues though.

Update March 7th

I see more and more reports that things are getting back to normal. It seems that the initial few (automatic?) views on all new photos are gone. Which is okay. The photo views graph is still missing. And the improvements need time to roll out and reach all of us. Hopefully, the next update will be the last :wink:

Update March 11th

This morning all my photos show some views. Even those posted 4 days ago. But the photo views graph is still missing in action.

Update March 21st

Today we received this reassurance:

Discussions and work on this is ongoing, and all the feedback is regularly being shared internally.

We completely understand that it’s frustrating not being able to respond to reports about this on Connect and potentially other platforms, but rest assured that this is a top priority for the teams.

Update April 10th

Finally some good news. Please see this announcement from Julie:

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/View-Count-Graph-Restored/m-p/3739698

The view graph is not yet visible in my Android Maps App.

Update April 18th

Today I shared this status way down in this long thread.

Update July 12th 2024

Today I noticed two of my photos uploaded just yesterday already display a few views.

1000025686.png
1000025686.png1080×398 571 KB

Maybe they are still working on this issue despite the complete radio silence!

I will continue updating this text if necessary. Thanks for your patience.

Cheers

Morten

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@MortenCopenhagen reg.: “… his individual photos have 0 views this morning!”: Two photos, I uploaded yesterday, also show zero views, while those from days before do have some values, but I don’t know how correct they are.

I am also confident, it will be solved soon, but someone needs to report it :wink:

Update as of Feb, 8 in the morning (CET):

Unlike @user_not_found 's obeservation in the other thread, I see* the same situation as yesterday:

  • My top three photos show the number of views as of the end December 2023
  • Two uploaded pictures on Feb, 6 still show zero views (they had 13 immediately after posting) and the same is true for photos posted today.
  • Randomly comparing other photos with a takeout dated Jan, 24 shows some have more, other less views now - seems like a chance of fifty/fifty to me
  • The number of total views did not change, but it did increase(!) between Feb, 6 and Feb 7 and earlier.
  • I mainly use Firefox under Windows 10. The views for the top three are the same on Chrome and the Google Maps Android App
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@WilfriedB

My guess is that one or more if the media servers got issues.

Here is a copy of Torbens report

1000017561.png
1000017561.png1080×2261 390 KB

@AngieYC would you please check if this is a known issue?

Cheers

Morten

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Hello everyone,

My total picture view count is unaffected (remaining at 14.2M) by this strange behavior, but many of my pictures have ‘lost’ views.

So one picture is down from > 500k to 485k, another one down from >400k to 386k and so on (of course I don’t remember exact values as of yesterday).

Anyone else noticed this too? Just yet another weird bug which will sort out in a couple of days?

KR&TIA … Wolfi

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It’s getting weirder yet :rofl:

In the meantime some pictures have returned to their original (higher) view count, whereas others have not.

I also noticed that the view count on the pictures which have ‘lost’ views, appears to be stuck.

It means: When I reload a popular picture an hour later or so, normally the view count has notably increased.

This isn’t the case with pics affected by this bug.

KR … Wolfi :astonished:

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Hi @fuzzi_68

Similar issue is reported here:

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Overnight-Points-Views-of-indivual-Photos-reduced-drastically/m-p/3709268

Sometimes a single or a few servers get confused.

Cheers

Morten

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Hi @WilfriedB ,

Thank you for reaching out. We have forwarded the information you shared with us with the relevant team so they can have a look at this.

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@nigelfreeney is also reporting the issue

I added v

Comment here

HHow about you @TerryPG ?

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Hello,

I’m a local guide level 9 on Google maps and for several years I’ve been helping to make information real and existing for Google Maps users.

For a few days now, the views of my photos have been blocked and the view counter for the latest photos doesn’t even appear.

Would it be possible to help me what’s causing this?

Thank you and best regards.

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@christophesubilia the fact that views on individual photos are not shown or show a number of several weeks ago was already reported yesterday. It seems to be a problem with servers.

See this thread.

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Thanks for answering, @WilfriedB

@christophesubilia I have moved your question to the thread mentioned by @WilfriedB to keep Connect organized. And you can follow along what is happening there.

Cheers

Morten

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Been two days and the photos are showing 0 views and appears to be a glitch and happened before in the past with others. Can they fix please?

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@DJ3xclusive the fact that views on individual photos are not shown or show a number of several weeks ago was already reported yesterday. It seems to be a problem with servers.

See this thread.

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Thank you @WilfriedB ! :woman_singer:

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Thank you dear @MortenCopenhagen ! :sparkles:

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Thank you @InaS :star_struck:

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Things happening on Maps are so crazy.

If any software developer was asked to create a virus provoking such an erratic behavior as Google Maps is showing (now it’s loss of view count, on other occasions it was loss of points, or impossibility to remove a blatantly obvious duplicate, not getting shops ‘into’ the shopping mall they’re located in while a doctor half a mile away is listed as ‘inside the shopping mall’, close to my place there’s a supermarket which has closed four years ago and now there’s a different shop, but it still shows up as open from time to time and a change request to close it is immediately rejected, and so on …) …

Yes, this person would refuse the job saying this is completely impossible :laughing: :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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Since yesterday morning everything I’ve posted has 0 views. Usually there the usual 9 or 10 right away and then the build up over time. What might be causing this issue?

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Hi @JaniceF

Yes, there is an issue with photo (not post) views on Maps.

I am moving your post to the relevant thread, so you can see what others are reporting.

All the best

Morten

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