I am writing this with deep frustration and disappointment as a Level 10 Local Guide who has been contributing consistently and passionately for years. Reaching this level was a proud moment for me , not because of any perks or recognition, but because it reflected my sincere dedication to helping others through honest reviews, photos, and local insights.
My journey began casually, just contributing in my free time. But over time, it evolved into a purposeful activity , a way to support local economies, reflect genuine experiences, and give back to the community. I’ve always believed in the value Local Guides bring, whether it’s through sharing hidden gems, improving service standards, or supporting businesses.
However, lately, several issues have left me feeling disheartened:
Unpublished Reviews & Photos
Many of my thoughtfully written reviews and genuine photos are not being published. The only explanation I received from Google Connect mentioned “similar content,” particularly in relation to posting a large number of similar photos. I admit, I realized this reason very late , and once I understood, I consciously started posting limited photos without repetition. But despite this effort, many of my reviews still remain unpublished, without any clear indication why. This lack of transparency makes it extremely frustrating, especially when so much time and effort goes into crafting these contributions.
Disappearing Reviews:
I am writing this message now because, once again, my previously visible reviews have suddenly disappeared from my profile without any explanation. This has happened multiple times, and it deeply discourages contributors like me, who are sharing honest content with only the intention to help others.
Lack of Support or Clarity:
There is no reliable support system for Local Guides facing such issues. We put in our efforts with no expectation of rewards, only the satisfaction of serving others. At the very least, we deserve a proper explanation when our content is removed or hidden.
Let me clarify that I have never posted fake reviews, never accepted any perks, and always maintained honesty in my contributions. Even when I leave critical feedback, it is intended as constructive suggestions based on my personal experience , never to harm or defame.
Please look into these concerns. As Local Guides, we contribute not for perks, but to improve the map experience for everyone. We only ask for our efforts to be respected, recognized, and transparently handled.
If you want, I can help pointing out and quantify the current issues with your contributions, but I understand that this is not the point of your post.
Google Maps is in a difficult spot. We complain about a ton of fake reviews getting published, and we also complain when our reviews are taken down. But I agree they need to do a much better job protecting and helping authentic and dedicated local guides.
Hi @JaseemJc , welcome back to Connect. I fully understand your frustration, and I can only second @MortenCopenhagen in what said.
Being moderators of Connect we read a lot of posts about this subject.
But there is an additional point where I want to respond:
This happens when a place is removed from Google Maps.
Sometimes it happens because someone, unaware of the process, flag a place as non existent. We are working to convince Google to change this procedure. Hopefully one day it will improve
I also underwent the same fustrations. About half of my reviews were hidden. So also considerable photos which I believed was not published. Now after appeal most reviews and phots were reinstated . The assurance of @ErmesT is quite welcome and the constant solution suggested by @MortenCopenhagen was also very supporting. I do feel we need to appeal through the following too often as the interference of AI was quite unwelcome as it is not contributor friendly whatever may be the justification.
Hi @JaseemJc !
Well done.
I think your frustrations are understood. And at the same time a lot has said on that already but for this poin…
[quote=“JaseemJc, post:1, topic:483513”] Lack of Support or Clarity:
There is no reliable support system for Local Guides facing such issues.
[/quote]..
I think there’s both here on connect googlers , moderators as well as the community itself is available at anytime to support,to help and direct for any purpose or inquiries while we have the Google map assistance community or forum which is also reachable for these kinds of issues…
So as seniors Mr @MortenCopenhagen and Mr @ErmesT as well as Mr @jojo522 have said it a lot of issues are reported to the concerned staff who’s working on a lot of things for more efficiency, more sustainability and make our daylong on Google map an joyful as ever…
I’ll just invite you to keep your train on railroad…
Thanks #LG.
@JaseemJc@ErmesT@MortenCopenhagen@Laurent
Thanks for discussion of the above subject in details. Being a loyal Google Contributor for both Map and Connect as clear from my Profile since its inception , with due respect in this contest regret to inform that such diligent and significant problem solvings of such most fustrated Contributors were not given due importance to resolve taking the seriousness. I am not against additional features like Summit, Leaderboard etc for just maximising the potentials of them but often being neglected giving least importance to resolve such problems.
Thank you @MortenCopenhagen, @ErmesT, @jojo522, @Laurent and others for your responses, kind support, and the time you’ve taken to share your own experiences.
However, I would like to clarify my concern more precisely , and I’ve attached a screenshot for transparency.
My issue is not only about unpublished contributions, but rather that all my previously published reviews have been hidden from my profile. As seen in the screenshot, the “Reviews” section now says “You haven’t written any reviews yet,” even though I have consistently contributed over the years and have earned 103,353 points as a Level 10 Local Guide.
This is the second time this is happening. And unfortunately, the form shared in the help responses only addresses contributions that were never published, which doesn’t apply to me.
The most frustrating part is that:
There is no notification when this happens.
There is no clear reason or warning.
And there is no transparent system to appeal or track what has been hidden.
I understand the need for content policies and AI-based moderation. But when sincere contributors who invest time and energy into building helpful content see their efforts disappear without reason, it severely impacts morale and trust in the platform.
When I visit a place, whether alone or with loved ones , the first instinct is to capture a photo not for social media, but to add genuine value through Maps. I’ve often been questioned about why I take so much effort in reviewing when there are “no real benefits.” But for me, the pride was in helping others, in being part of a community where “sharing is caring,” and watching my profile grow was a source of joy , not because of perks, but because of purpose.
Now, I find myself asking the same painful question why continue contributing if our sincere efforts and emotional connection are not acknowledged or even visible?
I sincerely hope the relevant teams will recognize this pattern of hidden or removed contributions affecting many Local Guides, and offer a more transparent, respectful process , and perhaps even a fix to prevent this from happening repeatedly.
Good morning @MortenCopenhagen,
it seems to me , this is the same issue reported a couple weeks ago by some users, where their own contributions, even though public, do not show up under My Contributions in the owner’s mobile app. Unfortunately, I don’t find the link and don’t remember the title of the thread. I believe, it was @DeniGu who said, it was escalated to the appropriate team …
Thank you @MortenCopenhagen for following up and offering help, I truly appreciate it.
Honestly, at first I thought it might just be a temporary technical glitch. But since this is now the second time that **none of my contributions are showing on my public profile, I began to feel it’s more serious. That’s when I decided to voice my frustration, not just to be heard, but also in hope of a solution.
I wasn’t aware about the unpublished and hidden content until recently. With 1200+ reviews and thousands of contributions, it’s honestly difficult to figure out what’s visible and what’s not.
I’ve now filled and submitted the form for hidden contributions. More than just a temporary fix, I truly hope there can be a permanent solution ,or at least some kind of warning system or better visibility for contributors to know when and why content goes missing.
I’d be grateful if you could take a look at my public contributions and let me know what you observe. Maybe that can help identify what’s triggering this, because from my side I’ve always tried to keep my reviews genuine, respectful, and helpful.
@WilfriedB Yes, exactly , thank you for pointing this out.
If this same issue has been reported by multiple users recently and already escalated by @DeniGu, then I believe it’s time this is addressed more seriously. Because if such problems continue to affect many contributors, it will definitely lead to discouragement and reduced participation in the Local Guides program.
Hi Mr @MortenCopenhagen
Hi Mr @WilfriedB
Hi Mr @ErmesT
Mr @JaseemJc ..
Thanks for your feedback and clarify as well. Yeah if it’s happened and discussed yet I think the solution should be available…
then we’ll just invite Mr @JaseemJc to let the community know about the outcome of his submitting..I imagine after 15 days..
As you already submitted the form, it makes more sense to wait for the result first. Feel free to tag me in 6 weeks if your contributions do not go public
Two episodes can still be a temporary glitz in my opinion.
