Hi, I would like to understand this category meaning. I have created 2 places today in exact map position with the category specified in the title containing a URL to live webcam stream. There are plenty of public live streaming webcams in my city especially near rondabouts. What can be added to map. Both updates were rejected as NOT APPLYED my question is now why?
Thanks,
Laurentiu
Hi @SIGILLUMDEI
If you added a url in the name field this is plenty of reason for not getting a new place approved.
Ups, I proabably misunderstood your issue.
Update:
Unfortunately, Google does not provide a list to explain what the different categories are intended for. So we are left to guessing what the categories can be used for. You could search for other public webcams on Google Maps to learn more.
There is a general rule that places should have a proper name to be eligible for a listing on Google Maps. I doubt a web cam has proper name.
Also, some categories are only available to Municipalities, and traffic authorities etc.
Sorry I could not help you any better.
Cheers
Morten
@JanVanHaver do you have something to add?
I don’t think there’s any official description/explanation of categories on Maps, @SIGILLUMDEI . So you have to guess it yourself about what “public webcam” category is really means.
Maybe you could learn from other public webcam listing in your Maps.
Hi @SIGILLUMDEI
The quick answer is that you cannot add in Google Maps the position of every public webcam, because the physical webcams do not have the requisite for being added in Google Maps. According to the Guidelines for representing your business on Google “If your business either has a physical location that customers can visit, or travels to customers where they are, you can create a Business Profile on Google”, and also “To qualify for a Business Profile on Google, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours”
But of course, the business who manage the webcams, if accessible to the public during its stated hours, can be added in Google Maps.
However in my opinion the category is deeply abused in Maps. I am tagging @JanVanHaver for a check
Thanks for tagging me on this interesting topic @MortenCopenhagen @ErmesT
@SIGILLUMDEI I also have no idea what the category is supposed to be used for. Quite often we can deduct additional info from the translated versions of the category, but in this case that is not true, as the category name is hardly translated in any languages: Russian, Ukranian (but those 2 have translations for almost every category) and some scandinavian languages ( @MortenCopenhagen or does the Danish “Utplasserte webcam” give you any hints?).
But then again… there are more categories where we are struggling to understand the correct use.(see the “Categories Explained (?)” series). Lets keep our hopes up that one day the Maps team will provide more guidance!
Hi @JanVanHaver
The term is Norvegian and not really Danish! My bet is that it means outdoor, but I suspect it could also mean obsolete.
Maybe @JonBekkevoll can help us out.
I guess these are different from the speed cameras that can give warnings while driving.
Cheers
Morten
The translation for Norwegian is indeed exactly the same. There is no translation for Swedish and for Finnish it simply has “Webcam”. So it might be accidental indeed.
My best guess is that it could have been meant for a webcam that is live broadcasting to a publicly available website. We have that here e.g. at the car insprection center to enable you to see whether or not it’s busy there (so you can decide to go immediately if you notice there are only 2 cars waiting, or check again tomorrow if the line is 20 cars long). But even for those, I don’t see a good reason to have them as POI on Maps.
I just returned from Madeira where they have public webcams positioned close to the different hiking trails. This is extremely useful to evaluate the current cloud cover and weather in the mountains. How to dress (raincoats or sunscreen) and whether we should select another hiking trail. So the main criteria: Is it helpful for Map users? Is indeed fulfilled in my opinion. @ErmesT , I don’t think applying the GBP logic should be applied to all places on Google Maps. It is hard to define public toilets and sculptures as businesses.
In conclusion, I think we should interpret the availability of the category as Google’s OKAY to add Webcams.
@JanVanHaver I believe there is some simple logic built into the category lists so Danes will see the Norwegian name should the Danish not yet be available. This makes sense since our languages are very similar. Ane the English name is shown should the Norwegian name also not yet be available (like we saw with the Car Wrapping category).
Cheers
Morten
I disagree with your opinion, @ErmesT
I think we can add every public webcam location as long as public can access it. Same as public bathroom. Business can claim it later.
Cmiaw
I may agree with you, @MortenCopenhagen , @iorikun301 , however, with a simple search I’ve found a massive inappropriate use of the category in my country, and I’ve already removed a couple of places from Google Maps.
I have also escalated the question to the team, so I hope to have a feedback in a few days
